Question Number: 16268

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/11/2007

RE: Competitive Adult

Jeff Maunder of Tauranga, New Zealand asks...

The question I have is in relation to sending a player off the field of play.

1. Does the ref have to have told the player they are sent off & show them a red card

2. When can he no longer do this, ie at what point can he no longer send a player off. (In relation to when does his authority expire) example .. after the game is over, players have left the ground and the ref decides to send a player off retrospectivily, a day or so after the game has finished.. can he do this.

3. Where would I find this ruling/rule

4. Is this inline with International FIFA rules

Cheers, Jeff

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The referee has authority to take disciplinary sanctions from the moment he enters the field of play until he leaves the field of play after the final whistle. That is what Law 12 states.

This is not to say he is prohibited from mentioning something in his match report that he has seen after he leaves the field! In fact he is obligated to report behaviour that he would have dealt with while he was on the field. In many cases the player is not aware this is happening, though a club official might be advised. A footballer doing something in the parking lot after a match, in view of the match referee is going to find his name mentioned in dispatches and that mention is not going to be favourable mention.

The match report is customarily written within 24 hours after the end of a match and delivered by post. This means the information in the report may arrive 48-72 hours after the match.

What the league does with the information provided in the report may well be disciplinary sanction. These sanctions may be fines or bans or both.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Jeff,
the referee's authority to show a card extends to the time period before a match when the players enter the field to warm up , the half time intermission and to the process of leaving the field after the match . A referee CAN NOT retroactive a send off or caution once the match is over. A player who later in the parking lot or about town confronts or creates a fuss can be reported to competition authorities for discipline but not in the manner by which cards are shown and utilized. Fifa is very clear on when the authority of the referee is in force and when it is not!

In my opinion a player shown a red card knows full well why it is shown!
There are only 7 reasons!
A referee could and in my opinion should briefly explain if the situation allowed! DOGSO by free kick (point 5) and Serious Foul Play (point 1) could have some confusion. Here excessive force or specific criteria may well be a certainty only in the referee's opinion but Player such and such you are being sent off for DOGSO by handling (point 4) or for Violent Conduct (point 2) or for foul and abusive language/conduct (point 6) or for receiving a second caution (point 7) or for spitting (point 3) would not be hard to comprehend

Law 12 Fouls & Misconduct
Disciplinary Sanctions
The referee has the authority to take disciplinary sanctions, as from the moment he enters the field of play until he leaves the field of play after the final whistle.
page 38 laws of the game

Law 12 Fouls & Misconduct
A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the following seven offences:
1. is guilty of serious foul play
2. is guilty of violent conduct
3. spits at an opponent or any other person
4. denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity
by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a
goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
5. denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving
towards the player?s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick
or a penalty kick
6. uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
7. receives a second caution in the same match
A player, substitute or substituted player who has been sent off and
shown the red card must leave the vicinity of the field of play and the technical area.
page 39 laws of the game

Law 12 Fouls & Misconduct
Decision 1
A player who commits a cautionable or sending-off offence, either
on or off the field of play, whether directed towards an opponent, a
team-mate, the referee, an assistant referee or any other person, is
disciplined according to the nature of the offence committed.
page 40 laws of the game

LAW 5 the Referee
The Authority of the Referee
Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed.
Powers and Duties
The Referee:
? enforces the Laws of the Game
? stops, suspends or terminates the match, at his discretion, for any
infringements of the Laws
? stops, suspends or terminates the match because of outside interference of any kind
? takes disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable and
sending-off offences. He is not obliged to take this action immediately
but must do so when the ball next goes out of play
? provides the appropriate authorities with a match report, which
includes information on any disciplinary action taken against players, and/or team officials and any other incidents that occurred
before, during or after the match
page 23,24 of the laws of the game

LAW 5 the Referee
Decisions of the Referee
The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are
final.
The referee may only change a decision on realising that it is incorrect or, at his discretion, on the advice of an assistant referee, provided that he has not restarted play or terminated the match.
page 24 laws of the game
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

No. The referee cannot sit on a decision to send a player off for two or three days. Their authority over that match begins when they get to the field and when they turn the key in their ignition and drive away.