Question Number: 16181

Character, Attitude and Control 8/1/2007

RE: Competitive Adult

David of Sault Ste. Marie, Canada asks...

In a recent match, I was given a yellow card and a warning because a referee made a decision, but would not explain his decision. I argued saying that he had to explain his decision, and recieved my yellow card.
Does a referee have to explain his decision?

Thank you,
David

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

David,

The referee is not required to explain his decision to you. You say you argued with the referee after you got a yellow card. Perhaps instead of making that request and argument, you could have nicely asked so that you could understand what you did wrong and he may have been more receptive to your request.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

No, the referee does not have to explain himself. All he needs to do is signal for the correct restart. If he's signalling a direct free kick, it means someone committed a foul. The ref is not required to identify which offense was committed or who did it. We leave that to the pointy-ball and basketball refs.

At the younger ages, referees are often part of the player's learning process. In those games, good referees will explain what the player has done wrong, especially if offenses are being repeated or the whistles are being greeted with blank looks. But that is not required, and certainly doesn't apply in adult competitive leagues. In competitive and in older ages, if the player doesn't know the game the coach hasn't been doing his job.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

May a referee choose to explain why a caution is given? Of course. Is he required? Never. You say he gave you a warning - perhaps if the warning had been heeded, no card need have issued and/or the warning must have been a clue as to the reason for the card. I personally like the British way of calling the player over, getting out the book, getting his name and number and having a brief discussion on why this was necessary. It's a great procedure but it is not the only one or always the best choice in a situation. It might behoove you to think back over what you were doing that a) caught the referee's attention and b) caused him to decide whatever you were doing was reckless or unsporting, or that you failed to give 10 yards without being told or it was your umpteenth foul in a row or whatever the reason was. It should have been in the game report, and I'm sure your coach will be able to retrieve that information for you. Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Nope - referee was right. Referees DO NOT EVER need to explain a decision to a coach or captain. This is not NFL football.

Answer provided by Referee Jon Sommer

No a referee doesn't have to explain a decision to you or to anyone else for that matter...a player that argues with me is unlikely ever to get an explanation off of me. Was your caution for the offense he penalised you for, or for you arguing with him? If it was for the previous offense, you are running the risk of a referee giving you a second caution for dissent followed by the showing of a yellow card, this will be followed by a red card that is for 2 cautions in the same game.

Now, you may often hear a referee give a reason for a decision, if asked nicely we often will. I have regularly been heard to say, "Lets get on now and I'll discuss a bit later." Or, we can chat after the game if you are still asking so politely. I don't mind explaning a decision qucikly if I have time, i won't go into huge detail, just a quick "You can't tackle from there" or "excessive force was used" but I will never answer someone who argues and shouts at me....they just run the risk of being better aquainted with my yellow and red coloured plastic in my pocket.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Hey David. Sounds like everything was going along fine until someone argued a point. This sport isn't at all like any other, the referee gets to take decisions, change them if needed and discipline players at his discretion. The referee has been on the field since 1891 and players still haven't figured out the referee's opinions regarding facts connected with play are final. Once the referee decides something one team usually gets to restart play and the other gets to move back 9,15 M from the ball. When that happens all is well and the referee smiles.

Problems arise when someone tells the referee something he knows is incorrect and then presses the issue. Few players ever win one of these because the referee has a whistle, two coloured cards and the power to remove any player he considers to be a thorn in his side. Players we'll do things this way, this time, please cease and desist or you'll get an early bath.

You chose discretion over valour and conceded the point. Good on you because the referee need only indicate the direction of a restart, what the restart is and get out of the way so things can get moving again. A referee's life [demeanor, too] is much better when the players are running about chasing the ball instead of entering into debates. Players too, find running about chasing the ball much better than entering into a loosing argument with a referee who is going to be right no matter what he does as long as he doesn't use Law incorrectly.

And that is written for all to see in Law 5, the opinions connected with play thing. You getting a caution is bad enough, loss of face and all that; but think of the poor referee -- he has to write a report to the league explaining why he found it necessary to discipline you. That means he had to do paperwork!! Everyone knows paperwork is a pain in the arse so causing him to do it is really a wrench. Let's hope he's recovered from the ordeal before your next meeting on the field...

Now, if you approached me and asked, in a reasonable tone, for me to tell you what you did so you could correct it, I would fall all over myself helping you out!

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi David ,
If a referee shows a player a yellow card it can only be for 1 of 7 things?
Entering and leaving the field without permission a player would have to be obtuse not to get that! No less obtuse is not realizing you have no respect for ten yards or have delayed the restart of play
Body language is a tool that the referee uses to:
? help him control the match
? show authority and self-control
Body language is not:
? an explanation of a decision
After a few careless fouls now congratulations are in order as you are guilty of persistent infringement (i.e. repeated fouling of the opponents) The only body language that we use in showing a yellow card for this sunshine offence is to hold up a few fingers and perhaps point to the various spots about the field where in all likely hood you were warned earlier

Most cautions are self evident but if a caution is attached to the NATURE of a tackle (reckless) force, direction, unsafe we generally know as a player if we were over exuberant, a bit late, took a chance and pulled a shirt or a bit of bad timing.

USB is the catch all for generalized goofy or stupid behavior!
It is almost like the dissent should be in there but no DISSENT is another way to be shown the patch of sunshine!

Dissent is to argue with a referee about ANY decision. It can go into foul and abuse at a moments notice for a direct red

When a referee makes a decision he is is OBLIGATED to show direction. A whistle generally stops things but a whistle is NOT required to start most things.
Restarts for a ball that went out of play are different than a STOPPAGE of active play to award a free kick!

If a referee points for a corner, throw -in or goal kick the reason is the ball was last touched either by an attacker or a defender. Now if the ball ticked a defender or grazed an attacker and went unseen it does not change a decision based on why the decision was made.

When a FREE kick is awarded notice the optimal word here is FREE!
The obligation by the referee is to indicate direction so the offended team can IF they wish, restart play IMMEDIATELY. If a player argues the call was unjust or wrong or how did he arrive at it it holds up play it is delay of the restart it is in fact DISSENT.

Players that are under some imaginary delusion that a referee is there to explain why he makes a call have not read the laws nor do they under the responsibility of the referee to act in the best interest of the game. One on one management talks can and do occur but they are at a time and place of the referee's choosing in the overall concept of FAIR PLAY! Not at the request of a player who in all likelihood created the reason why play was UNFAIRLY stopped in the first place.

Even if a referee is ABSOLUTELY WRONG in his decision, a bad angle, a missed retaliation, a preconceived idea, to argue it is senseless as it is 1 of the 7 reasons to be shown the yellow card and receive a caution for DISSENT! I know because when I as a player, was fouled in the penalty area of my opponent I was shown a yellow card for diving. I had run the entire length of the field towards the end of a long hot match and in on goal I had a defender nick the outside bone of my ankle, with a cleat. I was fatigued and it hurt like hell and that hurt foot stumbled into my other foot and I tripped. I landed full out and partially winded. I look up and there was the referee showing me a yellow card and ordering me to stand up. I asked are you blanketed blank kidding? I was tripped!. Later as I sat in the parking lot well you get the idea! ;o)
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 16640