Answers to Soccer Laws of the Game and Practical Soccer Refereeing Questions
Question:
for u8 what is the correct timing ?
USSF answer (May 13, 2011):
According to the US Youth Soccer rules for small-sided U8 soccer:
…Law 7 – The Duration of the Match: The match shall be divided into four (4) equal, twelve (12) minute quarters. There shall be a two (2) minute break between quarters one and two and another two (2) minute break between quarters three and four. There shall be a half-time interval of five (5) minutes.
Question:
The ball is shot, the keeper fumbles it, but vision of the goal line is not clear. I look to my AR to see if the ball crossed the line, and instead the AR gives different flag signals that are confusing(such as pointing to the attacking side and pointing at the goal) (and also she did not give the signal for the goal, which is to run back to the center with flag down). The keeper punted the ball before I could ask my AR what she meant and I waited until the ball went out of play (about 45 seconds) to stop play. Then I ran over to my AR and asked her if the ball crossed the line and she said yes. She confirmed the goal and I counted the goal (also the team that scored was already winning if that plays a part, after the goal it was 2-0).
I know the AR messed up the call but would you stop play right there if the ball is already in play to confirm or wait until it went out of bounds, or would you have continued to allow play to go on and not count the goal and not consult the AR. Also it was for the recreational championship.
USSF answer (May 13, 2011):
Because the ball was never out of play, it is theoretically legitimate to award the goal after so much time has passed; however, this is not something that the referee should allow to become common practice.
One way of doing that is to use the pregame conference to ensure that your ARs know what signals to use to indicate a goal, ball over the line and back into the field, etc. This information is taught in the entry-level course, but many instructors fail to follow up classroom instruction with practical work, so the less-experienced AR may not remember. If you do not know your AR and have never worked with him or her before, make use of the pregame conference to remind both ARs what signals you want to see in such tough situations.…
Question:
I was refereeing a U12 Recreation game. A player was on a breakaway when aggressively tripped in front the penalty area, one-on-one with the keeper. I blew for a direct free kick outside the penalty area and caution the player. I soon realized that it was Denying the obvious goal scoring opportunity and worthy of a red card.
Was it too late to issue a red card after issuing the yellow? Even though the foul occurred outside the penalty area, should I have awarded a penalty kick? What do I write in the game report. An aggressive foul with and issued yellow or a blow DOGSO?
USSF answer (May 13, 2011):
If play had not restarted, you could have corrected your original call and sent the player off for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the offender’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick.
If you did not do that immediately, you can now submit a supplemental report on the entire incident and include full details of what should have been covered in the original incident. Any decisions on punishment will be made by the competition authority.…
Question:
I have an interpretation question for you. First, let me give you the context; I was assessing a referee for upgrade (8 to 7) in a B-U18 match. In the 19th minute the referee noticed that one of the players was wearing two earrings which were either missed in the pre-match inspection or were added subsequently, and he correctly instructed him to leave the pitch.
As we discussed this after the match, I pointed out that there was another player (an opponent) who had his wrist taped and I asked if the referee had checked to see what it was covering. I was told by one of the AR’s that the League had directed their referees in their preseason meeting that they were not permitted to ask a player to remove a band-aid or tape to ascertain whether the band-aid or tape was covering an earring, etc.
According to this AR, they were specifically told that they could not ask a female player to remove a band-aid which covered her eyebrow even though they were confident that it was covering a stud. Apparently the league is concerned about some kind of liability.
This direction from the league is the source of my question. It is directly opposite of what I have always told referees as concerns gloves, hats, bandages, wraps, etc. I feel that not only do referees have the power to ask to see under such coverings to ascertain whether they are covering or hiding illegal or impermissible equipment, etc., but further, they have an obligation to do so. My belief is that if a player refuses to satisfy the referee by demonstrating that there is nothing unsafe or illegal under such coverings then s/he should not be allowed to participate in the match. I would appreciate your advice on this question. Thanks!
USSF answer (May 5, 2011):
No league may require a referee not to enforce the Laws of the Game to the fullest, particularly when it pertains to participant safety.
Under Law 4 (see Interpretations) covering items of jewelry is forbidden: “Using tape to cover jewelry is not acceptable.” If any covering (including but not limited to tape) is being used by a player in a place where such a covering is not normally expected and where jewelry is often found, the referee has an obligation to ensure that the player is not hiding illegal equipment and should approach the player in the same manner as would be used in any jewelry situation: “I need to see what is under the tape. You have the right to refuse but, under these circumstances, I have the obligation to not allow you to play.” Tape is, after all and by itself, “equipment” and, as such, needs to be inspected to ensure that it (or whatever is under it) is not dangerous.
Law 4 tells us:
Safety
A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewelry).
The referee is required by Law 5 to ensure that the players’ equipment meets the requirements of Law 4.
We provided the following answer on December 15, 2010, regarding jewelry:
…“There is no “FIFA” definition of anything in the Laws. The definitions are all made by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the people who make the Laws, of which FIFA is a member. And they do not define jewelry for the simple reason that jewelry is jewelry, a decorative (usually) piece of adornment worn to enhance one’s beauty or to plug some product or cause. All jewelry is prohibited by the IFAB in Law 4, no matter what its appearance may be. Jewelry in any form is dangerous, which is why the IFAB has prohibited it; players’ hair or fingers may be caught and severely injured.
“Jewelry includes (but is not limited to) “team spirit” strings; beads of any sort (worn in hair or on strings or leather, etc.); any adornment (including watches) worn on the wrist; rings with crowns or projections; adornment worn along the upper or lower arm; earrings of any sort (including “starter” earrings)l tongue studs; any visible body piercing; rubber, leather, plastic or other “bands” worn in reference to some sort of cause,
“The only jewelry that is permitted in the United States is (a) medicalert jewelry for the purpose of aiding emergency medical personnel in treating injured players and (b) certain religious items that are not dangerous, are required by the religion to be worn, and not likely to provide the player with an unfair advantage (and even for the religious items, the player must have permission from the competition to wear it).
“In short: No jewelry is allowed.”
Question:
My son’s U11 Soccer game STARTED with the opposing team playing with 1 additional player than my sons team team. This additional player was not detected by anyone, including the referee, his 2 assistant referees, or our coach. The opposing team scored one goal prior to the additional player being detected by one of the parents of my sons team. After detection of the additional player, 6+minutes into the match, play was stopped after the ball went out of bounds. The additional player was brought to the attention of, and verified by, the referee. The referee instructed the opposing teams coach to remove one of his players and play resumed. The final score of the match was 3-2, my son’s team lost.
I know there are rules/laws covering playing with additional players? Are there any laws governing STARTING a match with additional players?
Is there responsibility assigned to anyone to count the number of players prior to starting a match?
Isn’t it the responsibility of the coach to know the laws/rules of the game, including the legal number of players to play?
Thank You for your consideration
USSF answer (May 1, 2011):
Common sense dictates that the referee count the number of players on each time after every substitution and prior to the kick-off. That answers part of your question. The rest of your answer will be found in the USSF publication “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game”:
…3.20 GOAL SCORED WITH EXTRA PLAYER IN THE GAME
There are two critical questions to be answered in determining the proper response to the presence of an extra person on the field following the scoring of a goal:
• Was the presence of the extra person discovered before the kick-off restart or only afterward?
• Who is the extra person – a player ordered off who returned illegally, a substitute or substituted player who entered illegally, or someone else (team official, spectator, red-carded player, etc.) referred to generally as an “outside agent”?(a) Extra person discovered after the restart
If, after play is restarted with a kick-off and, during a subsequent stoppage, the extra person is discovered, the goal counts and play is restarted based on the reason for the current stoppage. If, however, play is stopped after the kick-off solely because the referee has become aware of the presence of an extra person, the goal stands and the game is restarted in accordance with the Law:
• an indirect free kick where the ball was when play was stopped if the extra person was either a substitute (or substituted player) or a player off the field with the referee’s permission or at the order of the referee (e.g., for an equipment or bleeding problem).
• a dropped ball where the ball was when play was stopped if the person is an outside agent or a red-carded player.(b) Extra person discovered before play restarts.
The referee must disallow the goal if the intruder was:
• a player, substitute (or substituted player), or a team official of the team that scored the goal, or
• an outside agent who interfered with play or a player.The referee must allow the goal if the intruder was:
• a player, substitute (or substituted player), or a team official of the team scored against, or
• an outside agent who did not interfere with play or a player.If the goal is disallowed, the restart is a goal kick.
In all cases, the intruder must be removed from the field and cautioned if the person is a player or anyone else over whom the referee has authority. Team officials should be informed that their action was ill-advised and, if appropriate, they should be expelled from the field and its surrounds for irresponsible behavior. The match may be suspended and, if necessary, terminated where outside agents are invading the field.