Question Number: 20116

Character, Attitude and Control 9/30/2008

RE: Competitive Adult

Jack of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 20104

Can't the referee just claim that the kick-off wasn't taken correctly in his opinion to have the protest overturned, as play was never actually 'restarted correctly'? (Obviously this wouldn't be possible if the ball had been in play for longer than a few seconds.)

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

That would be rather convenient for the referee, wouldn't it? Decide to cover up an error that was made by claiming something that didn't happen. Hmmmm ...

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

So to cover up a mistake the referee now gets to outright lie about something? Not sure I like where this is going

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

My colleagues are suspicious but lets go back a bit about the WHY of all this. In you call it # 14 we touched on an event that because of miscommunication things went south in a hurry. We suggested that depending on the selling ability of a referee to right a wrong or correct an obvious injustice we might stretch the things the law permits to achieve it.

If the reason for the stoppage was as you say the kick off had some element of technical malum prohibitum like the opposition within the centre circle or the receiving player was standing inside the opposing circle to justify the stoppage created because the AR on the far side was trying to hit you with his flag since you restarted without looking at him and he had some incredible information that made the goal a no goal you might be able to claim that.

Imagine the far AR realizes the team that scored had 12 players on the entire time as no substitution had occurred he sees the kick off about to commence so he begins his raise flag and tries to yell stop, stop there is a problem . The ball is kicked, the AR yelling is spotted, play stops. If the AR says I raised my flag before the kick off and it was late being communicated that this occurred BEFORE the kick off
Yes we might try to resolve this by not accepting the kick off if it was at all plausible to do so.

The whole issue of fair play and why play is not supposed to be retroactive is so undue pressure or intimidation can not be brought to bear forcing a referee to undo what he once believed as fair.
We can not lie to fix a mistake but we can be creative at arriving at a solution. Just understand that if you are brought to task your creativity will be linked to your integrity!
Cheers