Question Number: 18382

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 2/16/2008

RE: Rec Adult

Peter Stephens of Kokomo, IN asks...

I have seen in published documents that an assistant referee is not supposed to signal for a foul where advantage might reasonably be applied. Assuming you have an experienced AR, this kinda implies that, unless you are sure you saw the same thing and disagree, the CR whistle should be blowing immediately. Any comments?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

If the AR believes that the referee would have applied advantage, then keep the flag down. If the advantage does not pursue in 2-3 seconds, then the AR can pop the flag up and waive.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Advantage is afforded the referee by Law 5. Law 6 doesn't afford the assistant referee the same power. Law 5 allows the referee to return to the infraction should the advantage he saw not ensue at that time. Again because there is no mention of the assistant having the power to play an advantage the Law doesn't tell the assistant he may return to the original infraction.

So in this I disagree with my colleague. If the assistant "plays an advantage" by not raising his flag, which I believe to be a correct statement, when he flags 2-3 seconds later he forces the referee into unknown territory. Most referees at a very experienced time in their careers will have already played for this advantage and known the assistant isn't going to return to the infraction. Therefore the assistant is flagging for something else and this might well be an impossibility based on play in front of the referee. What happens next is the referee waves off the flag as something he doesn't agree with.

The assistant referee shall use the ?wait and see technique? in order to allow play to continue and not raise his flag when the team against which an offence has been committed will benefit from the advantage. In this case, it is very important for the assistant referee to make eye contact with the referee. If the assistant thinks what he sees is sufficient to stop play he flags, making sure to have the flag in the hand corresponding to the anticipated restart. If the referee agrees he whistles to stop play. If he sees advantage he signals play on with the accepted verbalization and signal. If he disagrees he waves the flag down.

That's how it's done outside Kokomo, IN.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Most often an AR watches the referee to see his style and emulate the desire of that referee to some extent in allowing or being able to distinguish trivial or doubtful and how to gauge if the referee is seeing the event in the same way. If a referee sees advantage protocol as being met he should say so. The AR can briefly get that eye contact and gauge the positional relevance of the referee as to whether he has a good line of sight. As AR I often verbally yell to the players I have seen the altercation so knock it off, or hands off . IF I see foul but aware advantage likely I place the flag to my chest in preparation to raise it while seeking eye contact with the referee.

It boils down to the working understanding and compatibility of the officials at the match. Those that are top notch and well versed in confidence can get away with some extraordinary antics when there is good communication and faith in the abilities of the other. I have witnessed an AR actually call out advantage, play on signaling with one hand holding the flag down as he ran with the defender who had broken away from the attacker with the ball. The referee was way up the Field and not likely to dispute the AR in any manner. It is not a recommended tactic but the referee was an elite English premier referee and seemed to have NO issues that the AR choose to handle it as he did. His words were in rebuttal to the question I posed. "He is a referee the same as me and understands the laws as well as I." These types of antics are not the norm but there are always an exception where what the games needs or requires is slightly different than by the book learning!
Cheers