Question Number: 33380

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/23/2019

RE: Competetive Adult

Shaun of Melbourne, Australia asks...

During a match a player or substitute player use offensive, insulting or abusive language towards the referee.
Based on the following circumstances, how the referee should handle the situation:
1) The ball is in play and the abusive player commits the offence inside the field of play (not inside his/her own penalty area).
2) The ball is in play and the abusive player is inside his/her own penalty area, when the infringement occurred.
3) The ball is out of play. The abusive player is in his/her own penalty area.
4) The ball and the abusive player are both outside the field of play.

If the referee stop the game (case 1 & 2) and send off abusive player, how he/she should restart the game.
Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Shaun, Is this a test? lol If the referee stops play to penalize a player for dissent/offensive language etc. the restart is an IDFK.
(1) show the red card send off the team plays a man short. Restart with INDFK
(2) show the red card send off the team plays a man short . Restart with INDFK subject to the special circumstances in the goal area.

.

What is confusing is the LOTG also state
If, when the ball is in play:
a player commits an offence against a match official the restart is a direct free kick or penalty kick
The restart if the the referee stops play for dissent/offensive language is ONLY an INDFK unless it has actionable violent conduct to upgrade the misconduct into an actual offensive foul


(3) show red card send off player his team plays a man short, restart remains same
(4) show red card send off player his team plays a man short, restart remains same

If the ball is out of play, play is restarted according to the previous decision but the OFFINABUS misconduct results in a send off

A player who commits a cautionable or sending-off offence, either on or off the field of play, against an opponent, a team-mate, a match official or any other person or the Laws of the Game, is disciplined according to the offence.

SENDING-OFF OFFENCES
A player, substitute or substituted player who commits the following offence is sent off:
-using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures

A 5th scenario could be the ball in play and the player outside the FOP in which case the INDFK occurs from the point nearest touchline or goal line (subject to the goal area special circumstances. No attacking INDFK can occur closer than 6 yards to goal. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Shaun
Thanks for the question.
Law 12 tells us that an indirect free kick is awarded if a player is guilty of dissent, using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures or other verbal offences.
So in 1 and 2 the IDFK is taken from the location of the offence that is where the player was located.
In 3 the ball is out of play so the reason for the ball being out of play restart does not change. For instance if it is a throw in it is still a throw in after the player is sent off.
In 4 it is assumed that as the ball is out of play it is the same as 3? The location of the player makes no difference when the ball is out of play except on a substitution. If the player is being substituted and he is still on the field of play when he commits the OFFINABUS his team plays short. If the substitution has already been made then the team does not play short.
In 4 if the ball is in play and the verbal offence is committed off the field of play by a player temporarily off, a substitute or substituted player the IDFK is taken from the boundary line nearest to where the offence occurred.
Consideration has to be given to advantage etc in deciding whether to stop play rather than waiting until the next stoppage. For instance if a substitute shouted OFFINABUS while his own team was attacking the referee should stop play, send off the substitute and restart with an IDFK at the technical area if the substitute was located there when he committed the offence.
If the opponents have the ball would it benefit the team to have an IDFK at half way on the boundary line?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Shaun,
Without going into detail on every aspect of your questions, I'd just like to mention that the IFAB already addressed the IDFK for dissent/offensive language issue in the same year that a DFK for offences 'against' a match official was introduced in 2016. The FAQ section to law 12 in 2016 has the following:

''Q6: Why is an offence against someone who is not an opponent now a direct free kick? Does this include dissent/offensive language?
If, for example, a player strikes a team-mate, substitute, team official or, perhaps even worse, a match official this is serious but only restarting with an IDFK suggested that the offence was not serious so it is now a direct free kick for any offence (directly) against anyone (except an opponent). This does not include dissent/offensive language etc. as this is not a direct/physical offence against a person (see below).

Q7: What is the restart if the referee stops play for dissent/offensive language etc.?
If the referee stops play to penalise a player for dissent/offensive language etc. the restart is an IDFK.''

In the upcoming 2019 update, this will be stated in the law itself with the addition of the following text within Law 12:

''All verbal offences are penalised with an indirect free kick.''

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 33381