Question Number: 21641

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 7/12/2009

RE: rec Adult

alex of richmond hill, ontario canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 21636

Regarding the 2 exceptions to the 'No decision change after restart', where can I find that instruction from fifa publications? It is easy to understand the first exception but I am not too sure how far we can push on the second exception. I remember when I first start officiating, it is not a surprise that I did not check out the AR for a long time. This is a referee mistake and it will be a hard sell to penalise something that happens a few minutes ago.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Page 90 under Assistant Referee signals in the Interpretations section of the new 2009/2010 LOTG:

Whenever the assistant referee signals for violent conduct and the signal is not seen immediately:
? if play has been stopped for disciplinary action to be taken, the restart must be in accordance with the Laws (free kick, penalty kick etc.)
? if play has already restarted, the referee may still take disciplinary action but not penalise the offence with a free kick of penalty kick
ASSISTANT REFEREE SIGNALS

The same information, with more explanation, is in the 2008 version of the Advice to Referees in 5.13.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The second exception was adopted after the World Cup head butt. The referee did not initially see Zidane's conduct, but the assistant referee did. Play had stopped and restarted in the interim. Then, the referee learned what had happened and sent off Zidane.

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

See Question: 21691