Question Number: 33700

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/9/2019

RE: Under 19

grant of las vegas, nevada USA asks...

is it possible to give a player two cautions on the exact same play for a single foul they do? for example, a player has done a few of the same type of holding foul from behind. you tell him that the next one is a caution. then he does it again and not only a blatant hold but a clear SPA-worthy foul in open field. could you give him two cautions for that, one for the PI, another for SPA, for the same challenge?

another example could be if he did a late challenge once, you verbally warn him another will be a caution, and he does it again.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Grant,
You can certainly give two cautions for a player who commits two separate offences very close together and the IFAB actually made this point specifically, in IFAB Circular 11, issued 25 September 2017, which stated in part, as follows:

''Where two separate cautionable (YC) offences are committed (even in close proximity), they should result in 2 x cautions (YCs)''

As for giving two separate cautions for a single foul, I'm not aware of any ruling on this one way or the other but I would say that I have never seen this happen and would be very surprised to see this occur.

There is no specific part of the law that addresses this and there is a provision that:

''The Laws cannot deal with every possible situation, so where there is no direct provision in the Laws, The IFAB expects the referee to make a decision within the 'spirit' of the game - this often involves asking the question, "what would football want/expect?"

It is my opinion that both the spirit of the law and the expectation within the game of football is that a single offence would only result in a single caution.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Grant
It is possible and there is nothing in the Laws to prevent that yet for me it must be clearly two separate offences not one single foul.
For example a player commits a foul which merits a caution and the referee allows play to continue and the player commits another cautionable offence reasonably quickly that would be two cautions followed by a red card.
Does it happen very often and the answer is no as many times the referee may stop play for the first offence with a caution or if so very close together it is seen as connected and one offence.
Have a look at this video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RY0DD120slk
Green commits an offence off the ball on Red which seen by the referee. The Referee allows advantage and within a few seconds the same Green commits a reckless challenge on another opponent. The referee can be clearly seen to be saying to the Green player that there is two offences and two yellow cards for two separate offences.
Once there is a clear time difference it is an easier *sell* rather than perhaps an offence that gets spread out in time and distance such as a holding that continues for a short distance with an eventual pull down by a trip. There is two offences in there yet most referees would go with the one yellow card rather than two.
In your examples I believe that once the referee intervenes on the first offence he should be taking action unless there is a clear advantage which should be signaled. If the fouling player commits a second offence a few seconds later and unrelated to the first incident then by all means two cards is possible. If it is all connected to the same incident then for me one card deals with it.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Grant,
generally we do not award a double caution off a warning or in conjunction with a reckless tackle even if you think it was USB. . You could firmly challenge the player to be an angel or their next tackle will be sanctioned for PI if he so much as mussed up an opponents' hair lol Verbal Warning , followed by a Caution show yellow or go direct red card if the action is SFP,

If the player is creating multiple fouls, in a series of active play advantage type situations where it is actually more than a single foul but a series in succession then you can document the double yellows by pointing to A, hold yellow card aloft then point to B the location of another cautionable misconduct, re-show yellow card, then show red.

Now a soft tackle can render the PI and a 2nd caution will mean a red card and dismissal BUT but if that 2nd caution is for USB action that is more serous than a simple foul that fulfills the PI docket. Be sure to note that card is NOT just for for PI but for the reckless misconduct associated with the tackle itself.
cheers