Question Number: 16631

Law 5 - The Referee 9/10/2007

RE: Rec

Curious of Rockford, IL USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16538

If the league rules "allows" for slide tackling, is it still up to the Referee to determine if it is legal or not for that particular match that he is working (taking the player safety into consideration). I was refereeing U15 games where there were players aged 12 through 15 on the teams. at that age, I think that a three year difference in age is a "big" difference. Also at that age, that same three year difference also renders a rather large size difference in some of the players. This happened a while back and I think the league rules 'allowed' slide tackling starting at this age level. However, in my opinion, based on the age and player's size differences, I informed both teams that I would not allow it. The players from one of the teams argued that according to the rules, it was legal and that other referees had allowed it in previous games. I simply informed them that I was not 'other' referees and that due to my perceived safety concerns that I was not going to allow it. The players still complained, but their coach seemed to agree and be fine with it. My question is: citing safety concerns, does the referee have the latitude to "institute" his own rules to the game he is working in contrast to what the league rules "allow" as long as he makes these rules very clear to both teams before the match starts? Would either team have a legitimate complaint to the league if the referee then cautions or sends off a player who breaks that particualr rule the referee instituted before the game (ie - slide tackling).?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sorry Curious, you are NOT allowed to make up rules as you go along. Slide tackling is part of the game. Unless absolutely forbidden by League rules whether they slide tackle or not is none of your business. However, it is up to you to decide if the tackles are fair or not. Punish dangerous tackles as you should but you simply can't send someone off for a rule YOU made up! I have seen U 11's execute beautiful slide tackles and U19 Premiere players almost kill each other. Each tackle should be judged on its own merits. You are free to caution or send off any player committing a tackle you deem reckless or endangering the safety of an opponent but how are you justified in cautioning someone for a rule you made up. You are NOT the LOTG and you have to adhere to them. Of course either or both teams could and SHOULD complain to the League about a referee who decided he was above the LOTG

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Under NO circumstances does the referee have the right to institute his own rules in a game he is working! And you absolutely CANNOT send off anyone under rules you made up, for heaven's sake! If you feel the irresistible need to do this, please refuse to take games in this league, or any other league for that matter. The beautiful game has a set of 17 Laws which allow a great deal of latitude to deal with varying age levels and skill levels within the letter and spirit of the Laws. You can't go making up your own, no matter how "noble" your intent. You are there to see that the players operate safely WITHIN the Laws we have. Thus, if a slide tackle occurs which violates Law 12 by being careless, reckless or done with excessive force, or by tackling the opponent and making contact with the opponent before the ball, blow your whistle, and blow it hard. That's how they learn what is and isn't a fair tackle. The players had every right to complain because you ruined their game by being overly officious and self righteous. It is their game, not yours. Making announcements like that at the beginning of a game tells everyone the referee doesn't know what he's doing, marks him as a rank beginner and sets him up to paint himself into a corner when he doesn't do something he threatens to do.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Well curious sir, when you get to be a member of the International FA Board and can get five other members to vote with you the Laws may be changed. Until then the only thing you may do is enforce them. It matters not if you think something is dangerous because of a size differential, because of an age disparity or because one player is pink and the other blue.

Tripping or attempting to trip, kicking or attempting to kick, tackling and making contact with the opponent before winning the ball are forms of slide tackling that may be punished. Those you dream up may not be punished. Once a referee accepts a match he is bound to enforce the Laws of the Game, national policy, specific league rules and those peculiar to the ground on which the match is played.

Your other option is not accept assignments. That is better than making up your own set of rules, believe me!

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

My colleagues are all spot on.

This is awful. Enforce the laws as written or don't referee. You are not a football diety, do as you're told and deal with it.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

In fact your intervention is cause for protest as it is a misapplication of the law and not within your discretionary powers to ban tactical applications. You could simply whistle every slide tackle as a foul and even if the slide tackle was a perfectly good one as an opinion and a fact of play it is not contestable. You will make a reputation and set a standard that will likely bite you a big one but by saying nothing only your foul recognition will be suspect even if your integrity is tarnished by the act of following your misguided convictions. PIADM is playing in a dangerous manner and could ONLY be INDFK so any DFK restarts could be protestable unless you do not show an INDFK arm raise but state it was a trip or attempt to trip or kick or attempt to kick. The point is by applying a standard of none you are handicapping those who could legally be playing a ball and it is NOT what FAIR PLAY is about! As you can tell by the tone of those who have responded we are displeased by such conduct even though we understand the desire to protect the players. We heartily recommend you do it within the laws provided! There is ample room to find fault if indeed there truly is! Just do not assign blame before an event actually occurs! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I had a U12 game this weekend. At check-in, players from both teams asked me, "Can we slide tackle?" I replied, "I don't know, can you?" When they changed to "May we?" I told them that it was allowed (it hadn't been in U10), but only if they could do it safely. If they missed and took out the player, it was going to be big trouble, because it could be very dangerous. There was only one slide tackle attempted, done fairly well, but in my opinion it was totally useless.

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

See Question: 16653

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