Question Number: 22880

Law 5 - The Referee 2/28/2010

RE: competive Under 15

david brannan of rossendale, england lancs asks...

last 5 min of the game the score was 2 v 2 and then we scored the winning goal. The ref points to the half way line and takes his book out and start to walk back to the half way line. As he was walking back the opposite team surrounded the ref and then he changed his mind and appointed no goal - even the other manager said the goal should have stood.
can you help

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
The referee is entitled to change his mind on any decision before the game restarts. In this case as the game had not restarted with a kick off, the referee was entitled to go with a different restart. You don't give any indication of what the restart was so I can't really be of any assistance.


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Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

I can't imagine what help we can be from here, but like Ref McHugh I'd have to say the referee can change his mind up to the point of the ball being put into play.

Unfortunately, when the referee is surrounded, and then changes his mind, it doesn't always look good. One assumes this was a lone referee with no assistants for help. If he was poorly positioned, or missed something which upon the question by the other team, he realized was wrong, he must fix it.

However, there is no way of knowing what was said, or why the referee changed his mind. When he does, it is final and cannot be contested, as it is a fact decision. The referee is a match condition, just like the weather or the state of the field. Sorry not to be more help.

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Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

While it is lawful for the referee to disallow a goal (until the kickoff), it is such an unusual event that it is a good idea, in my opinion, for the referee to explain to the captains why.

Collina writes of a match in which he went to the captains and said, in effect, 'you have to trust me. It was not a goal.' Collina, of course, was trusted by the players.

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

While it is certainly legal for this referee to change his mind, it's also very stupid to do so based on what the opposing team says. It's even more stupid to not explain why he was taking away a goal to the opposing captain, and in my opinion, to both coaches.

The only time I can imagine listening to players is if it was pointed out to me that I had misapplied the Law and they were correct.

But the appearance that this referee simply caved in to a bunch of opposing players is not good and diminishes the referees authority for the rest of the match

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