Question Number: 14997

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/17/2007

RE: Co-rec Adult

Bob Roach of Charlottesville, VA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 14983

As a follow up to question 14983...as a captain of an adult co-rec team, I was involved in a game where it was the last game of the season, the two last place teams playing, and the opposing team had only 11 players. We had a shot on goal, and out of reflex a young lady stuck her hand out and denied an obvious goal. The ref pulled out the red and was about to send her off. As captain, I went to the ref and said that I had no problem with him putting the card away and ignoring the DOGSO and allowing the opposing player to continue playing. Our team felt that the stakes just weren't worth sending her off.

The ref was reluctant (rightfully so), but we convinced him to allow her to play. He went to each player on our team and said if any single player objected he would not do it. But our entire team agreed and we restarted with a PK and had an enjoyable game.

I know what he did was wrong. But in the spirit of things, and given that the results were pretty much meaningless since we were all out to just play some football and have fun, I felt the outcome was a good one. We made some friends that day and had a good time.

I became a ref a couple of years after this game (it was a few years ago) and realize now that I should never have asked the ref to do this, but that day it just seemed the right thing to do.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

What you did was tell the police officer not to arrest the murderer. That put the referee in the position of ignoring his primary duty, enforces the Laws of the Game. It also put all other referees who are assigned to officiate this player in equally bad positions because she believes the referee has an option when she does that.

I hope she doesn't put you in that position.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Bob. I'll play Devil's advocate. If the player did this reflexively, perhaps she didn't deliberately handle the ball. I'd have approached the referee in this manner rather than ask him to ignore a DOGSO.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 15017