Question Number: 14434

Character, Attitude and Control 11/13/2006

RE: Rec & select Under 12

John Remich of pensacola, FL Escambia asks...

Twice during the current season referees have stopped the game at times I would consider inappropriate. Should the referee have allowed the game to continue through the shot and corner kicks desribed below?
1. Game nearing end of first half. player from one team gets a breakaway headed toward goal. Time expires. Referee stops play a second or two before the player was to shoot. Should the ref have allowed the shot to take place, then stop play for halftime. What is the guiding principle?
2. Hot day. Coaches agreed before the game a water break would be called mid-half. Referee calls the water break when play stops for a corner kick. Play resumes with a drop ball. Team never gets to try the corner kick. Should the ref have allowed the corner kick to take place? What is the guiding principle?

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

For your question 1: Our "guiding principle" is the following :

The Preface in the Laws of the Game notes the following 5 items are modifiable:
[begin quote]
Subject to the agreement of the member association concerned and provided the principles of these Laws are maintained, the Laws may be modified in their application for matches for players of under 16 years of age, for women footballers, for veteran footballers (over 35 years) and for players with disabilities.

Any or all of the following modifications are permissible:

* size of the field of play;

* size, weight and material of the ball;

* width between the goalposts and height of the crossbar from the ground;

* duration of the periods of play;

* substitutions. [end quote]

and:
[begin quote]
Law 7--The Duration of the Match:
* The match lasts two equal periods of 45 minutes, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the referee and the two participating teams.

* Any agreement to alter the periods of play (for example to reduce each half to 40 minutes because of insufficient light) must be made before the start of play and must comply with competition rules.
[end quote]

Additional ?guiding principle? is found in USSF?s Advice to Referees (2006):
[begin quote] Law 7 ? The Duration of the Match
7.1 LENGTH OF HALVES
The referee may not arbitrarily shorten or lengthen the halves of a game where the time has been specified by the competition authority (league, tournament, etc.)
7.2 ADDING TIME
The amount of time the referee allows for time lost in either half of a game or in any overtime period for the reasons listed in Law7 (Allowance for Time Lost) is entirely at the referee?s discretion. Referees should remember that, in addition to the reasons listed in Law 7, there are ?other causes? that consume time, such as kick-offs, throw-ins, dropped balls, free kicks, and replacement of lost or effective balls. Many of the reasons for stoppages in play and thus ?lost time? are, however, entirely normal element of the game. This should be taken into account in applying discretion regarding the time to be added. The main objective should be to restore playing time to the match which is lost due to excessively prolonged or unusual stoppages. The IFAB has strongly urged referees to take fully into account time lost due to injuries. [end quote]

Now, having overwhelmed you with all of that, here is the bottom line. When time expires, it expires. It is at the discretion of the referee whether time is added, how much, or whether they "pretend" to not notice that time has run out until it is more "convenient.

Answer for #2: Oops. Seems like the referee may have had a mild case of heat exhaustion. During the water break, it's possible he forgot how play was stopped prior to the break, and automatically restarted with dropped ball. Play should have restarted with corner kick to the team that was to take the kick prior to the stop. While there is no direction concerning this kind of stoppage, I as a rule of thumb, have usually given water breaks once the ball has left play where the restart is a throw in, goal kick, or after a goal has been scored. There is no written policy or guidance for this, but it does make for a happier sideline....yes?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

When time expires, time expires. A smart referee will wait for a "dull moment" to end half. The only time the half needs to be extended though is for a PK. The referee can end the half right before a corner kick. If there are water breaks and the ball goes out for a corner, the restart after the break must be a corner kick. The water break just means teams go and get their water, but then the game resumes as it would without the break. This referee was a little mixed up.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

I will address the "water break". Yeah, OK, fine, super. Lets all take a break and drink.

What about taking a drink anytime from the touchline and then getting on with things. My players did this during summer tournaments in the central valley of California where, though a dry heat, it does get seriously frigging hot. Any time they wanted they stopped what they were doing [after telling someone to cover for them] and got a drink. We didn't have heat casualties though our opponents did. We were much stronger in the latter minutes than our opponents and we didn't all cramp up after standing around having a drink and a chat. Think about that one coach.

By the way, the referee may stop play at times he chooses for reasons he chooses and it makes no difference to whom there is any inconvenience... As a side, the individual inconvenienced has no right to complain and moan about the referee's decision regarding any fact connected with play. And the restart should have been corner kick, ref's bad -- get on with it...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

#1 is a judgement call by the referee. Time is up when he says it is. #2 is a clear misapplication of the Law. Play was stopped for a cornere kick. It MUST be restarted with a corner kick not a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI john,
yes it hurts when a referee is busy watch looking instead of maintaining match awarness but we can not really fault a referee to blow for time if in his opinion time is up. We could look for less controversial ways but it is as unfair to defend past time as it is to take away attack time!
Safety is of course far more important so good for the water break but bad for the restart. I agree 101% a corner kick not a drop ball! A drop ball ifhe stopped soley for the water break otherwise restart with why play is stopped! Cheers