Question Number: 17667

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/4/2007

RE: Select Under 18

Dave Hambridge of hornchurch, Essex England asks...

Player A has the ball running down the wing. Player B slides in gets the ball and the player. Player A kicks out at Player B. Player B raises his hands and grabs Player A around the neck. Player A pushes his hands away. In this case he Booked Player B and sent off Player A.

What should the Ref have done or was he correct?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Sounds to me like you had two players there that weren't interested in playing football that day. Both of them should be excused to do other things - like take an early shower and cool their jets.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Dave,
referees can on occasion help save a player from himself.

Good foul regognition, proactive interention heading off the niggly, frustrataing unfair and often unseen or unaccouted for actions of an opponent. A loud efficent whistle that speaks to the nature of the incident! Quick to the spot of the foul, no retailiation required, I am large and in charge, let me deal with it!.

In essence a player who is comfortable that the referee is dealing with IT, are less likely to want or need to deal with IT, whatever IT is, themselves.
Whether a referee is sharp as a tack or as dull as a blunt gray crayon players who risk fouling and those who feel obliged to react to that foul suffer the fate as the referee determines how to respond.

QUOTE FIFA
Decision 1 lAW 12 Fouls and Misconduct
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.

Decisions of The Referee LAW 5
The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are final.
End quote
Thus ITOOTR (In the opinion of the referee) if he sees it and decides what it is who is responsible a a mastch condition one player wasonly seen as cautionable action one was seen as send off action. Would I or a colleague decide or act different ? Perhaps but we did not see the event not contribute to the way in how or why it occurred .
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

There must have been some time delay between the kicking out at and the grabbing of neck action. During that time the referee MUST get involved in the party. His action MUST be as loud as possible and this might have prevented the second phase of festivities. Not having acted promptly the referee dealt with things in order of happening as is the custom. He acted in accordance with his opinion regarding facts connected with play and his actions can not be questioned. He is right.

The lesson here is don't grab an opponent by the neck in front of this referee. Also one might take the lesson with him into society because grabbing a citizen by the neck in front of local authorities won't get you sent-off it will get you sent-to. That person usually has time to think about lessons learned whilst residing in the gray-bar hotel at Her Majesty's pleasure ...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

I agree with referee Voshol. Sounds like both of these players deserved at least a caution. Both behavior seems un called for. It all depends on the nature of their offenses here. Without seeing it, it is hard to tell.