Question Number: 19297

Law 7 - Match Duration 6/7/2008

RE: Rec Adult

Mike of Toronto, Canada asks...

I am the convenor of a men's rec league in Toronto. I am in the need of clarification of FIFA rules on abandonment. There was a game where a team was leading 4-1 when a game was abandoned in the 70th minute (of 90 min game). There were a total of 3 red calls and multiple yellow cards of the offending (and leading) team. The ref felt the game was out of hand as one of the players pn the winning team was verbally assaulting the linesman.
What should be the outcome as per FIFA rules?
Should the game be replayed, the score count as is, or should the team that caused the abandonment (and who was winning 4-1) lose the game by a set score?
If you could provide a link or reference to a historical game so I can reference this for all players it would be very helpful!
Many thanks for your assistance with this.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Law 7 provides "An abandoned match is replayed unless the competition rules provide otherwise".

So over to you, what do your competition rules provide? Note, all discipline incurred during the abandoned match remains in force. This means players sent-off must serve their bans and cautioned players will accumulate according to your competition rules.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The fair thing to do is to follow Law 7, as Ref Fleischer notes. If your league rules provide a different outcome, then go there. If your league rules do NOT provide a solution, then FIFA wrote it for you. Replay it, and all the send-offs and cautions count.