Question Number: 33697

League Specific 10/8/2019

RE: Adult

Saikat Nandy of Howrah, West Bengal India asks...

If any match is abandoned for bad pitch condition what ref will do and what was the rule for rematch

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Saikat
Once the referee abandons a match he reports the circumstances to the competition organisers who will make a decision based on the competition rules. Those rules can include the following
1. Rule that the match is complete and record the score at that time. Generally that happens when the game has passed a certain time in the second half or both teams are happy to accept the result rather than playing again. In games with nothing at stake say near the end of season teams may not want to play so they convey that to the organisers.
2. Play the reminder of the game restarting with the score at the time of the abandonment and with the same teams, cautions, sending off etc
3. Replay the match in full
4. Record the match as a draw.
In the absence of a competition rule IFAB has ruled that and I quote **An abandoned match is replayed unless the competition rules or organisers determine otherwise.**

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Saikat,
After abandoning a match, the referee will describe the reasons for the abandonment (in this case, pitch condition) in their match report.

The parameters of any rematch will be decided by the competition organisers based on the Rules of Competition (ROC). Depending on what these rules say, the game might be replayed from the start, replayed from the point at which the match was abandoned, or the result could stand as it was. The referee has no role in determining the arrangements for any rematch.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Saikat
Simply put, referee decides if it is unsafe to play and abandons, be it weather or an unsafe violent situation and the league is responsible for its completion or rematch and any discipline associated with it. .
Cheers