Question Number: 21583

Law 7 - Match Duration 6/23/2009

RE: Recreational Adult leagues Adult

Justin T of Greensboro, NC USA asks...

What are the guidelines for blowing the half-time whistle? I recently played in a game in NC and I played a great long ball but as soon as I played it the ref blew the whistle. The player on my team was all alone and on his way to a break away. Is there a rule to prevent this or is this just a case of a bad refereing? Which would be understandable since it is just an Adult league.

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

There is no rule against this nor is this a case of bad refereeing. The referee is required to add time that was lost during the half for injuries, cards, time wasting or any other reason. Once all that time plus regulation time is up, the half is over. What you are asking this referee to do is to extend the half just so your team has an opportunity to score. That is inherently unfair to the other team. How would you like it if the referee seeing you had a chance to score, decided to shorten the game so the other team could benefit? Or if you were the defending team and you knew all time including added time was up, how would you feel if the referee extended time another 10-20 seconds so the other team could take a shot at YOUR goal.

The referee is supposed to be fair in his or her decisions. What's fair to everyone is to end the game when all time has expired.

That said, I'm sure most referees would let a shot already taken be completed but he wouldn't have to.