Question Number: 18035

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/30/2007

RE: Premier Under 13

Avery Haskell of overland park, Kansas USA asks...

A referee gives player 1 a red card for striking. A teammate of player 1 attempting to reason with the referee snatches the red card as he lifts it up. The player who grabs the card is also sent off. This falls under the category of dissent, correct? Shouldnt the player who snatched the card receive a yellow card?

Watch this video for the play:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WIiaXWq1KHY

PS: If the player who had snatched the card would have snapped it in half or not given it back would that be a higher level of dissent deserving in a red card?

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

No! Card snatching, at least in the USA is defined by US Soccer as a form of physical assault! People who have purpetrated such an action have been suspended from playing soccer in the USA for a year or more in some cases. Stealing the referee's property or touching the referee threateningly (or in defiance or dissent) without his consent is ALWAYS going to be a form a referee assault.

Perhaps you ought to recalibrate your tolerance for these sorts of incidents!

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Also,

I just viewed the clip you submitted. What a strange situation!

Anyway, the referee was completely correct for sending off the card-snatcher! This is totally boneheaded and the referee must protect himself and the integrity of the game. This was NOT dissent, it was Violent Conduct a red-card offense. He had to go, there is no debate to have. Think about it from the ref's point of view.

Absolutely ridiculous! There is no question this is a red.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

No player is permitted to touch the referee in that manner. It is violent conduct, specifically referee assault. Every player doing this must be sent-off every time. I view with concern any referee who does not immediately send-off this player.

Now to the mechanics the referee used in the situation. He did not isolate the player! He didn't ensure his back was to a minimum number of, or no, players. He allowed players to approach him. Even though the event required severe action it did not require instant action because he was present at the point of the misconduct within a second or two and in control of the player to be sent-off. Go straight to the Laws on this one where it says sent-off and shown the red card. He was waving the red card about BEFORE the sending-0ff had occurred. He was a target!!

AND he didn't catch the real culprit, nor did the commentator, he caught the retaliation!!

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

This was at the U-20 FIFA World cup held in Canada. The referee and officiating crew missed much here in the lead up to this theatrical event but the players require dedication to focus when responding to aggressive tactics by the opposition and NOT retaliate in dramatic fashion so it is PAINFULLY obvious a referee MUST react to what he does see, given the fact he missed WHY it was being done!

Emotionally charged the players must police themselves because a referee with integrity, be he correct or incorrect in reading the whys and the who?s of WHAT happened, will SEE what he sees even if different than you or I.

Grabbing the card is an action of abuse not dissent as explained by my colleagues. The referee in these cases could feel pressured to respond when things unravel. We cannot always protect a player from reacting foolishly but we can provide a solid base by being to the spot of these flare ups in a quick fashion in a CALM competent official manner to assess the conditions, isolate the culprits, communicate with his ARs and protect the match
Cheers