Question Number: 34264

Law 10 - Determining the Outcome of a Match 7/10/2021

RE: Euros Professional

VAR fan of Bergen, Norway asks...

What's your take on the antics during the KFTPM coin tosses in the Italy - Spain semifinal?

Where would you draw the line for similar behaviour?

This is the last one for now.
Thank you so much for this wonderful resource!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
It shows how important that the simple procedure of the coin tosses at KFTPM be managed in a way that does not allow for any antics or questioning of the result.
It is believed that the reason for the confusion was that the referee had a coin with red on one side and blue on the other. Referee Byrch assigned the red colour side to the Italian end, that was to the referee’s right and blue to the goals to his left where most of the Spanish supporters were. The coin came down red which meant the end with the most Italian supporters. Alba thought that red meant the Spanish end. Whether that was gamesmanship or not one could not be sure. In hindsight colours on the coin is okay for the team call yet maybe not so for the referee’s decision on deciding which goal for the kicks particularly if there are language challenges.

Whether a referee would have to do anything I believe not as it is a matter of fact. In this game it was confirmed by the assistants and nothing untoward happened. It would only need action if a captain used obtuse dissent towards the referee, which clearly did not happen here.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi,
we do appreciate your questions, and thank you for taking the time to consider our replies as worthy of thought! All panel volunteers who respond here are simply those who love the game, using their experience, donating their time to assist those playing, watching, coaching or officiating take a moment to reflect that things are better than they could be but room for improvement is always there!

Dissent for a decision, even here at a simple procedural coin toss is not automatically actionable, especially for a misunderstanding versus a direct attack on the decision itself! A referee might see unreasoned dissent as actionable show a yellow card but we can agree to disagree and find the reality of the circumstances. Common sense, in multi language matches it could be the explanation was not presented as clear as the presenter thought? One issue in matches is often each end of the FOP has a greater number of supporters behind the goal than the other as opposed to a 50/50 split. It can be a boost to morale if the goal chosen for KFTPM had their supporters going nuts. I believe, the Denmark keeper in the England game during his PK moment in regulation made reference to a laser pointer in his eyes, so which end might figure prominently whose there to cause mischief, hopefully not with such unfair antics more of a seething mass of movement and noise. The color-coded coin is a departure from the old quarter flip I recall but as explained by my colleague Ref McHugh to how and why it looks like the kerfuffle faded once explained. To magnify such a minor event into a personal actionable circumstance would be an insult to the game, only an obtuse player/referee could think it worthy!
Cheers