Question Number: 12938

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 6/3/2006

RE: Ex Referee (getting to old now) Adult

Trevor Davies of Townsville, Queensland Australia asks...

As an ex referee, I was asked to act as an AR, as the refereeing team were an AR short. In an under 16 game a pushing and shoving incident threatened to turn into a brawl. As it was closer to me than the ref, I raised my flag and ran (6-7 paces) on to tell the players to separate and quieten down. I also informed the Ref of a player who had run in 10 meters to push another player to the ground. The Ref awarded the free kick against the player who started the incident (with an illegal tackle and from the opposite team from the player who ran in)) and yellow carded the player who ran in to push an opposition player over. After the game I was abused by the coach of the player carded for entering the field to stop the melee and to tell the referee about the pushing incident. My understanding of rule 6 was that I was obliged to do this was I wrong?

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

The coach can go pound sand. Under Law 6, "The assistant referees also assist the referee to control the match in accordance with the LOTG." What I will add, however, is what did the referee tell you in their pregame that helped define the ways that they wanted you to assist? Personally, I tell my ARs that if they see that an incident is going to go into the crapper, such as a fight is going to occur, to feel free to enter the field of play and use their presence to help try to defuse the situation and/or control it. Here the LOTG specify that the ARs help control the match - the way we do that as referees may vary but there is no requirement here that we are to stay OFF the field of play. If, in the REFEREE'S opinion an AR is unduly interfering then the referee may dismiss that AR but it is NOT up to the coach to decide what constitutes undue interference. All the best,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Obviously player safety is the main concern here and you did what you had to to control it. Good for you! As Always,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

AS a referee I would hope that my AR had the courage to do his duty to the best of their ability. If my AR is well trained on the game and its laws then in his quadrant I expect him to act the same as I in doing what is required. I would be adamant with the AR in not placing themselves in jeopordy if the act was in behind the play. But hopefully if the play is trapped between the CR and AR the CR is coming in strong to also diffuse the situation. The coach needs to understand that the AR s and the CR is a TEAM effort no different than his players suppoting each other. I do not want to have my AR physically intervene but if his voice and presence can alleviate tension I see it as ok.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Given no prohibition from the referee during prematch instructions Law 6 allows the assistant to enter the field and manage the 9,15 metre distance. This is exactly what you did, correct?

In some places the laying of hands is something not afforded referees when dealing with youth players. California is one of those; here touching a child is frowned upon. Letting two youths beat the crap out of each other is, to me anyway, more abhorrent and in that you and I are on the same page. We tend to get between them and protect.

The coach who would rather see blood and gore should seek a coaching appointment in a slaughter house, he'll be more at home there. AND because he abused you he must be expelled from this match, a report must be written describing the nature of the abuse and he must be banned from matches and practices until he understands abusing referees is something he would rather not do.

Will that ever happen? Of course not, abusing referees is just part of the game and to be expected. Like #$%^

Regards,