Question Number: 895

Richard of Edmonton, Canada asks...

Name on the ball. Many referees, myself included will award indirect free kicks for obstruction if a player in a crowd of both defenders and attackers goes up and yells one of the following ?MY BALL, MINE, LEAVE IT? (you get the picture?) When coaches or spectators scream these commands (?Let it run or Leave it, leave it!?) Moreover, when I observe a reaction by the attacking or defending players. (I have seen kids visible stop or slow their progress when this occurs) I have awarded the obstruction to the offended team). I generally explain this concept in my pre game instructions and ask they use the kid?s name or team name or color i.e.: (?Richards Ball? or ? Scorpions, let it run.?) But would my awarding an indirect free kick place a game in jeopardy of being replayed? Would a drop ball be correct? (outside influence?) Alternatively, do we have any jurisdiction at all? Referees can use judgement but we can not alter the rules. I would enjoy hearing your views.

Answer provided by Referee miller

if you believe that a player's yelling constitutes unsporting behavior, you may stop the game to caution him. Since no other violation of the Laws occurred to warrant the stoppage the proper restart would be an IFK for the cautioned player's opponents at the spot he committed the misconduct. Your restart is correct only if you you caution the player. It is certainly NOT obstruction (which is properly referred to as impeding the progress of the opponent). If you decide only to warn the player for his yelling you must restart with a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee hoare

It is not offence in itself to shout "leave it" or "my ball", however as you have correctly observed if it is done in such a maner so as to put of an opponent and gain an advantage then it is indeed unsporting behaviour and at the very least is deserving of IFK.(I would not YC for the first offence).

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

You cannot stop play for obstruction (now kown as impeding the progress of an opponent) if a player yells "mine" or anything else. If you feel that a player by yelling something along these lines has put an opponent at a disadvantage, then you punish this unsporting behavior as misconduct, caution the player and show the yellow card. restart in this case would be IFK to opponents. Again, this is not a FOUL, it's MISCONDUCT. You say we cannot alter the rules but that's what you've done by calling obstruction or USB due to something the coach or spectator says. Where has it ever been written that you award an IFK to the opponents of a screaming fan? You have no jurisdiction over fans or coaches other than stopping the game and refusing to restart if the fan or coach will not leave. If you took possession from one team and awarded an IFK to the opponents based on a fan comment, you have misapplied the Law and this game absolutely would be protestable.