Question Number: 16738

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/17/2007

RE: State Cup Under 18

Steve of Vero Beach, FL USA asks...

Attacker traps a pass outside of the PA on the right side of the field. Defender launches a careless slide tackle and makes contact with attacker and attacker goes down. AR1 raises flag to indicate foul (as I instructed him to do in pre-game). The ball goes directly to attacker 2. I signaled and shouted advantage. Attacker 2 scores.

Defender and coach momentarilly came unglued. They saw the flag and "assumed" the play would be blown dead. Defender went to ground on the tackle, so he could not have caught up to the play. My Advantage call was immediate upon the raise of the flag. No one else, offense or defense, stopped play.

Was this the correct decision?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

This was State Cup, U18? By then the players heard must have heard about a dozen-gazillion times, "Play to the whistle!"

You decided advantage, called and signalled it. The players should have been paying attention to you.

Although your AR should be talked to about watching for advantage before raising the flag. The AR can't call advantage, but if he thinks it exists he should delay on the flag. Better a late correct flag than an early wrong one.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

I agree play to the whistle should be a no brainer at most any select level!
Still I disagree with the pregame instructions if the AR raised a flag! If you in fact both clearly see the foul as AR I look to you first then mirror your descion. You awarding advantage allows me satisfaction that you did see it and you want play to continue so I keep the flag down. If I was sure you missed the foul then I raise the flag and take the heat.

In almost every incident where as AR I raise my flag for a foul always try to get eye contact with the referee to when an advantage looks likely to allow him the opportunity to whistle or play advantage and for you to think the flag as being velcroed along your leg and you must first free the flag before you raise it. If the whistle is sounding your flag is already on its way up and if adbantage is called your flag while apart from the leg is not past the waist yet!

It is interesting if as referee I was clearly out of position say a long, long clearance to opposite side of the field and there was a foul where advantage could be useful seen only by the AR at that junction if the AR kept the flag down and yelled advantage play on! to indicate to the player do not retailiate I did see it but you are better off without the stoppage. If the player proceeded to play on and the foul was only careless as referee I doubt I would be at all upset at the AR initative. Not sure I would like it if there was a caution or send off attached but ARs are referees and if I would have allowed advantage if I was not so out of position to see it if they do it has it created a problem? In my opinion no but good pregame and trust are implicit in such things!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I'd likewise wonder why you instructed your AR to raise his flag on fouls you clearly saw but your call of advantage was absolutely correct and the coaches had no business getting upset.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Great call. Players should know to play the whistle, and if they didn't now they do.