Question:
I am grade 8 referee with about a years experience. I am getting progressively assigned to more competitive games. As a result I am seeing things/tactics I have not been exposed to and was wondering how to handle them. I was recently the center referee on a U14 competitive girls game where one team had a tactic of a quick, light pull on the sleeve of the player they were defending if they got beat. It did not seem to affect the direction or speed of the offensive player so I dismissed it as trivial. However, the girls started to get irritated by this tactic and were bringing this to my attention. I called a few fouls on different players but the tactic did not stop. The team that was the recipient of this tactic was also winning handily so I just let it go. Looking back at this I think these were tactical fouls and I should have cautioned players. How should this tactic have been handled? Call a foul the first time and tell the team that if it happens again the player will be cautioned?

Caution the player the first time it happens? What happens when the player cautioned quits the tactic but the other players on the team continue? Would you caution the other players as they commit the tactical foul as well? What would you do if other players continue this tactic until they were cautioned? I like to reflect on or analyze my games to see what I could do better so I can continue to improve so feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

USSF answer (September 7, 2010):
Depending on the age/skill level, warn the first (and possibly the second) time this holding occurs with younger/less-skilled teams, but call the foul (or apply the advantage) immediately with older, more skilled players. If the tactic continues after you have called the holding foul, caution that player for persistent infringement. Do not permit this or any other delaying or harassing tactic to continue without acting decisively to rein it in.…

Question:
Last night [a local administrator] instructed our officials that the sand bags out at [a soccer complex] which anchor the goals are not sufficient. Since these are the same sand bags used for Regionals, I am certain they would not have been used if they were not acceptable.
Can you please clarify?

USSF answer (September 6, 2010):
As we stated on March 15, 2006, this is a matter of player safety. There is no reason to look beyond Law 1. In describing the field and its appurtenances, Law 1 tells us, under “Goals”: “Goals must be anchored securely to the ground. Portable goals may only be used if they satisfy this requirement.” Using sand bags is one way of doing this, but even they present some danger. The decision can be made only by the referee on the spot.…

Question:
During the Concacaf Champions League game between Santos Laguna and the Columbus Crew on Tuesday August 24th a goal for the Crew was disallowed. Renteria, the Crew player who assisted on the goal, was not wearing a jersey with name or number, having had to change it due to the presence of blood. After treatment he was waved onto the field at least twice by the center referee which is clear from replays and the fourth official made no attempt to stop him from entering the field. The goal is scored almost immediately. It is only then that the coaching staff of Santos besiege the fourth official (who is Mexican as well). After a conference between the center and the fourth the goal is disallowed, Renteria is cautioned and has to come off to change his jersey. restart is a goal kick.

USSF answer (September 1, 2010):
Your description of the situation seems to suggest that the game was stopped because the player had no numbers or name on his shirt, not because he entered the game without the referee’s permission. That is a matter regarding the rules of competition, not the Laws of the Game and interpretations thereof, and thus falls outside our competence to answer.…

Question:
alright so first question is about the penalty box and penalties committed by the defending team. is there such thing as an indirect free kick in the box and if so is it taken from the spot of the foul? what is done then about moving players ten yards away if its within 10 yards of the goal? hand ball fouls, is there a difference between intentional and unintentional as pertaining to penalties, beside a obvious handball being a cardable foul?

and this is half question half opinion, it seems to me fouls that could be called direct penalties and then fall under a penalty kick restart aren’t all goal scoring opportunities. Is there any way of dealing with these types of fouls besides awarding a penalty? and in my opinion it seems more just that they award a corner much like field hockey’s penalty corners. just doesn’t make sense to award a player who had his back to goal on the edge of the area near the endline should receive a pk for being fouled in a non scoring opportunity.

thanks for clearing everything up.

USSF answer (September 1, 2010):
1. Yes, the referee may award an indirect free kick (IFK) to the attacking team in the defending team’s penalty area. That would be done for any infringement punishable by an IFK.

If the IFK is to be taken from closer than 10 yards to the goal line, the defending team may stand on the goal line.

There is no such thing as an “unintentional hand ball.” Handling is either deliberate or it does not exist.

2. Sorry, life is very hard and the Laws of the Game are quite explicit. A penal foul (direct free kick/DFK foul) is a DFK foul, no matter where it occurs, unless it is in the penalty area. In that case, if it was committed by the defending team, it becomes a penalty kick. There is no connection between most penalty kicks and a goalscoring opportunity.…