Question Number: 15837

Law 3 - Number of Players 6/20/2007

RE: Rec/Select Under 14

Dale of Apple Valley, MN USA asks...

At a recent match [U-14] the ball was rolling along the touch line on the team side of the field. The ball was on the line, but still in play [whole ball, whole line]. One of the players waiting to be subbed in extended her leg and stopped the ball. She was, in my opinion, not trying to interfere with play. In fact, a player on her team was the last player to touch the ball and stopping the ball was not to her teams advantage. She was, I think, trying to be helpful. What's the restart? Does she get a yellow card?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

She should be cautioned for Unsporting Behavior. (It used to be entering without permission, but FIFA/IFAB changed the Laws last year so that substitutes can commit only 3 kinds of misconduct, not 7 like players.) The restart is an IFK.

If you decide not to caution her, let her know how close she was to seeing the yellow. Make sure she knows that the ball must be allowed to completely exit the field before she is so helpful again. While this option is not allowed per the Laws, it may be the right thing to do for the game. In that case, because you are treating the sub as an outside agent rather than a sub entering the field, I believe the restart would be a dropped ball. You won't find this documented anywhere. It's conjecture on my part, because we're making it up as we go here, but it would be consistent with other situations which are documented.

Perhaps the best thing to do would be as my colleague suggests, calmly speak to the young lady, tell her what she has done, and explain why she must be cautioned and shown the yellow card. It's not going to scar her for life, it's not like she's accumulated a whole lot of cards this season which would require a suspension.

I'm sensitive to this issue because it happened to me back when I was first reffing, except it was a U10 player not U14. And, because an assigned ref didn't show, I was reffing for the team my daughter was on. In that particular game, because we so seldom need to resort to formal misconduct and cards, I believe my decision to simply talk to her was correct. In fact, I was told by parents later that I was too harsh. OK, it was a loud talking-to. The young lady is now a senior in HS, and a referee herself. I remember the incident, I wonder if she does. Maybe next time I work a game with her I'll ask.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

By the letter of the laws she should receive a caution for unsporting behavior. The restart is an indirect free kick at the spot where she contacted the ball for the opposing team.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

it's true that she probably wasn't trying to interfere with the game. However, she entered the field of play without the referee's permission and subsequently interfered with play. I've had this happen in several games over my career, and the best thing that I have done is to explain to them that "I know you didn't mean it but I have to caution you anyway because you weren't a player when you touched the ball."

The coaches and players usually understand this and don't give you much grief. But, even if they do give you grief, you must still caution the player for entering the field of play without the referee's permission and show her the yellow card.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This is NOT one for the referees out there who are faint of heart. The caution is mandatory. Law 3 states, in this instance:

the substitute is cautioned, shown the yellow card and required to leave the field of play.

The leeway given a referee is zero, there WILL be a caution for this. Any referee who fails in cautioning is not courageous.

Regards,