Question Number: 12876

Character, Attitude and Control 5/22/2006

Gil of Pasadena, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 5298

Re: 5298

I could not find a date associated with this question so I don't know if this is a recent one, but this incident very well could occur on any soccer weekend.

I would follow all of the advice given by all of the esteemed referees on the asktheref panel, but I would like to suggest one more step, call the police.

A referee has been assaulted on the pitch. Even the most cynical teen-ager will stop short of assaulting a symbol of authority, whether on a sports field or at their school. When a young person steps beyond the point that he will physically assault a uniformed referee, more drastic measures must be taken.

If he is allowed tojumpon a referee's back at a soccer game with nothing but a red card or a suspension as punishment, who's next, the elderly lady walking along the street? I blieve this a matter for the police to deal with. Maybe he will get the message that his actions may have consequences.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

I agree with you that the police should be notified of the assault. Here we tend to focus on the soccer part of it. There are referee assault forms that can be filled out and filed. All the players I heard of that physically harmed a referee are no longer playing soccer. As Always,

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Yo Gil, thanks for the thought. You know where I live and perhaps you know my background so my thoughts and actions are based on a previous life. You live in California and perhaps are familiar with California Penal Code 243.8b. If not a quick look will give you ammunition to use if an assault ever happens to you.

What I wrote applies to this day. In an entry level class, tonight, a juvenile female referee candidate asked if she could protect herself if assaulted. Can you guess what I said after stating US Soccer policy is to do nothing and rely on the assistance of other players and team officials? Yup, you guessed it...

Regards,