Question Number: 35878

Mechanics 2/2/2026

RE: High amateur in Brazil Adult

Peter Adam Zegler of Southampton, New York United States asks...

A violent conduct foul was committed after the whistle has blown to end the first half and not one referee saw it. The VAR wasn't working either. Can the referee look at a spectator's cell phone, see the actual foul, then send off the player for violent conduct?

Sincerely,
Peter

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
Thanks for the question.
It is going to be impossible for any referee to get involved with a spectator/s to try to ascertain what happened in a VC incident.
Without the involvement of another match official such incidents will be missed and unfortunately are not acted on.

I recall in a particular game there was an alleged VC incident at a free kick. I was acting as an assistant referee and it happened deep in the offside line which blocked my view. The referee was busy organising the free kick with moving the defensive wall etc. The trail AR did not see the alleged incident either.
As it turned out no action was taken although there was a strong suspicion that it may have happened. Even if half time intervened we would not have got involved with spectators for video evidence.
In dismissal incidents a report is written as to what was seen by the match official. No official is going to write a report based on cell phone video. With VAR a referee would be brought across to a monitor to view the incident and then dismiss the player.

I recall one other VC incident as a lone official. At a stoppage it happened behind my back. I had a strong suspicion of VC by a home team player. His captain said to me that I did not see the incident and I agreed yet I told him I would miss very little after that. The alleged offender was substituted some 5 minutes later.
At the end of the game the away team coach approached me complaining about the player not being dismissed. I apologised and told him I was on my own and it happened unseen behind my back. I also told him that had I seen any VC incident I would have no hesitation in dismissing any player. He accepted all that which ended the matter.
As they say It Happens.

I would also make the point that certain leagues under local Rules of Competition can take retrospective action. For instance the FA in England can and does take action for Violent Conduct retrospectively where an incident was missed by the match officials. Video evidence would be submitted to a disciplinary panel for adjudication and a decision made.
So while there was no disciplinary sanction taken during a game for violent conduct such situations could be sanctioned later.

Any such situations taught me a valuable lesson about positioning even at a stoppage or at half time / full time. It is necessary to have most players in view looking in to the field of play rather than looking out or looking only at an injury with most players out of view and to be fully switched on at all time on the field of play.





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