Question Number: 21796

Law 7 - Match Duration 8/17/2009

RE: Competitive Under 11

Daniel Ornelas of San Jose, ca USA asks...

I have seen some referees blow the whistle to end halftime and matches while teams are on the attack or very near scoring. As indicated in the rules, the referee can blow the whistle to end the match when time is ended. Is there a consious effort to educate referees to allow the sequence to end before blowing the final whistle?

It at times looks like they are cheating a team who is in the attacking third with the ball ready to score.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Wise referees learn that they should not decide that time has ended when a team has an imminent goal scoring opportunity.

Unfortunately, many leagues and tournaments schedule matches so close together that there is no ability to add time. (I worked at a tournament this weekend whose rules banned added time.) It is much easier to add time when there is a 15 or 20 minute rest period between matches than when there is less than five.

But, added time is the one thing for which every fan of the losing team wants more, every fan of the winning team wants less, and the referee team wants to get exactly right. Each team is given the full amount of time to score, and it certainly isn't the referee's fault when a team does not score in the time allotted.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Suppose the referee allowed more time so as not to 'cheat' the attacking team. If they scored in this extra time, wouldn't the defending team feel cheated by the ref allowing a goal against them, after all time should have been up?

It is not fair to short a team from full game time, but neither is it fair to make a team defend any longer than full allotted time.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Where I referee many games are played with the strict instruction to not add stoppage time.

Thus, I strongly believe that time is up when that final second elapses - even if the shot is in mid-air towards an open goal.

I don't see how that would be unfair to the attacking team - after all, they've had 45minutes to score. If they couldn't do it in that time, why should they be allowed a bit longer?

It is, however, extremely unfair to the defending team - and doing something like that just to make life easier for yourself is completely unjustifiable.

Yes, you're almost certainly going to cop a bit of flak if you do it - but you knew you'd inevitably cop some flak when you made a tough, unpopular but correct call, right? It's part and parcel of being a referee.

Games that are played with stoppage time allow for a little more leeway - the stoppage time added on is generally not going to be very precise; it tends to be an estimation, thus there is some justification in being a bit flexible with the remaining time when there's an imminent attack.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

While time is relative and rarely to the micro second I can tell you irrevocably that if a referee was to blow for full time while a ball was on its way into the goal at a high level FIFA match it could likely be the last match he was ever awarded. Just ask Clive Thomas a Welsh referee at the pinnacle of elite football. He blew the final whistle seconds before Zico of Brazil scored what would have been the winning goal in a 1978 World Cup match against Sweden. He later wrote a referee autobiography called 'By the book!' His being correct in law did not protect him as one might think it should!
In MY opinion only UNLESS there is a HORN or SIREN on a PUBLIC clock that announces the end of the match the match is better served if the referee was to hold that whistle being focused on the play rather than the watch. I do NOT suggest we extend the match time as it is unfair to defend longer as it is to shorten the attack sooner. I simply believe one can adjust the circumstances in most cases without making a rod for our backs!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I think far too many referees only look at what is 'fair' to the attacking team. What about the defenders? How is it fair to them to allow extra time after all added time is gone just to let the attackers continue the attack. After all added time is gone, the referee, in fairness to both teams, should end the match