Question Number: 35617

League Specific 7/16/2024

RE: 6 Professional

Hussain Jan Gramkani of Muscat, Oman asks...

A player #9 was cautioned in a match and the team won. In second match same player #9 was cautioned, match ended resulting 1-1. In penalty shootout (after taking 6 penalty kicks each team) crowd entered in field. Match was replayed in full the next day. Player #9 was not allowed to play due to suspention.
Any discipilinary rule that can allow player #9 to play as match was replayed?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Hussain,

This is up to the local competition rules and not the LOTG, however generally speaking cards issued in an abandoned match stand. After all, the player still committed the act - the fact that the match doesn't have a result doesn't change that.

So if he accumulated enough cautions for a yellow card then I would normally expect the suspension to take place - but as I said, it really comes down to how the competition rules are written. That's where the disciplinary procedures and implications for abandoned matches are found.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
The question is covered by a competition rule not the Laws of the Game.

The standard throughout the world is that cards issued in an abandoned game are still recorded and stand for disciplinary purposes. So if a player is red carded that player must miss the next game and whatever additional sanction that is levied.

In the case of cautions in an abandoned game those also count and if a player has accumulated the required number to merit a suspension then the player will be suspended for the next game and any other additional sanction.

Put it like this. It cannot be any other way as for example if players were to get a game abandoned would it be fair to allow those player to compete in a re arranged fixture. In addition if a player knows that a caution will result in a suspension then that player knowingly committed an offence that merited a card the player did so on the basis that the player expected to miss the next game.

Interestingly many competition rules do not allow abandoned games to count towards a suspension.

There can be other quirks in competition rules. For example in the Spain v Germany game Carvajal got a caution which meant he was suspended for the semi final having picked up a caution in a previous game. He then picked up a second caution in the game for a blatant cynical drag down late in the game which earned a second caution and a red card.
Under the competition rules he only missed one game despite have picked up two cautions and a red card.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Hussain, appreciate the question.
The LOTG state only what a referee is to do in that match alone whereas the rules of competition are cumulative in nature regarding player conduct and cards. 2 cautions = a red card and ejection from that game and likely a suspension from the following game. A standard applied to most doubled cautionable actions. Whereas direct red cards often result in much longer match suspensions. None of that discipline is anything to do with the referee who would only ensure a double yellow in same game and a direct red he is removed and not replaced as the team is down a player.

A single caution is not a suspension from that game and a single caution in the next game is also not a suspension from THAT game! The extra punishment of a suspension for getting a lot of cautions over the season was thought of as another deterrent to players so they might refrain from playing recklessly as it can cost them not only playing time but team fines! In league play over the season if a certain number of cautions are accrued by a player or even team totals are considered as too many often fines or suspensions are enforced. The number is at the discretion of the ROC rules and bylaws. In tournament play lesser amount of matches in knockouts, often the cautions are carried forward in the leadup then wiped for the quarters or semis so as not to create a good player missing the finals on a technical 2 yellow card accumulation!

The carry forward of a yellow card in a match that is replayed may seem unfair but the next match is the next match in terms of being on the FOP!
Cheers