Question Number: 33842

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/17/2020

RE: Competitive Adult

Jim McGougan of Manchester , United Kingdom asks...

Can a player be booked after being sent off?
While walking off after being sent off the player abuses the local fans.
The ref states he was booked again in the dressing room?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jim
A player cannot be cautioned after being sent off. Also cards are not used off the field of play anyway.
What does happen is that the action is added to the sending off report as misconduct.
So in this case the referee told the player and probably club officials that the player was being reported for the abuse of local fans as well as the sending off.
That abuse is taken into account by the disciplinary panel so if say the sending off was for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity which would typically carry a one game suspension the afters could add a number of additional games to the suspension plus a heftier fine. It could also be added to the players discipline record.
So the term *booked* can mean different things to different people. It is not however, after a sending off, a separate yellow card offence that is treated on its own.
A player can be cautioned / booked after the game is ended in the changing room for say dissent. That is simply added to the list of cautions and no card is shown yet the player is told he is being cautioned for dissent. It is added to the players record plus a fine is usually levied.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Jim,
once you are sent off you are done . The subsequent actions of MISCONDUCT
by an expelled player IF seen or witnessed by the neutral officials would likely be included in the match report
It would be added fuel for the disciplinary committee to mull over later likely extending the matches to be missed and or additional fines or bans. the player or club might be subjected to. CONSEQUENCES!
Cheers
.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Jim,
No, a player can't be issued with a caution after being sent off. If, after being dismissed the player then goes on to commit further misconduct which would otherwise have been worthy of a caution, that would be included in a report by the referee. As ref Wright correctly points out, the exact procedure for the report would vary according to the jurisdiction. The disciplinary body for the relevant competition would then assess disciplinary sanctions for both the sending off and the subsequent misconduct.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Jim,
A player cannot be booked after being sent off.
If the player does something like this after being sent off - whether it's immediately after or later - the referee is to include that in his report. For some areas, this information is included in the send-off report, while others will require a separate incident report.
It's important for referees to get this reporting right - if he reports a yellow card issued after a red card then this will be questioned.