Question Number: 25020

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/28/2011

RE: Competitive Adult

Jack of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 24990

Wait - what?

The offence is committed by a player, on the field of play, whilst the ball is in play. Therefore the restart is an IDFK.

There is no stipulation in Law 12 (as Steven correctly points out) who the misconduct is directed at (however you have claimed it has to be against an opponent, referee, etc). What if the offensive language is directed at no-one in particular?

The dropped ball restart would be appropriate if the player made this comment whilst they were (legally) off the field of play.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hello Jack. I should have looked more closely as to where the question originated. Advice To Referees has a restart chart for us. You are not bound by Advice but through personal communication with the people who write it, I am told the chart should apply for all FIFA games.
The chart is found in section 12:35 and for some reason I can't copy and paste it. Advice may be downloaded for free at www.ussoccer.org.

The chart tells us if the offense is committed on the field by a player against any other person ( this is after listing teammate, sub or subbed player, referee, assistant referee, or fourth official), restart is dropped ball. It's always been policy of FIFA if play is stopped due to interference by outside agents that the restart is a dropped ball. Misconduct against a spectator is the same thing as the spectator is an outside agent. Misconduct committed on the field by a player with the ball in play against anyone involved in the match would result in an IDFK restart. In this case, the misconduct involved someone not involved in the match, so we restart with a dropped ball.

I would point out that referee Gene Nagy from Canada and referee Joe McHugh from Ireland both agree with the dropped ball restart.

Also, none of us suggest that this is what the referee SHOULD do. In fact, just the opposite. But I still maintain that any misconduct directed at a spectator should result in a dropped ball restart should play be stopped. Had the language not been directed at anyone in particular, I don;t think any of us would do anything other than perhaps a quick word to watch the language in the future. However, if the referee stops play to have a word with the player, and does not issue a caution, restart is a dropped ball. If the referee decides the language escalated to abusive, insulting, or offensive, the player would be sent off but restart would be IDFK if directed at someone involved in the match and dropped ball if directed at any other person.

Hope this clarifies

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jack
If the referee stops play to deal with language on the field of play and the referee makes the assumption that it was directed on the field of play against an opponent, team mate, substitute, substituted player, referee and assistants then the restart is an indirect free kick after the caution.
However if the ball is in play and a player commits an offence inside the field of play against another person, play is always restarted with a dropped ball from the position of the ball when play was stopped.
The Law makes a clear distinction between those that are part of the game and those that are not. I would also say that if the player is berating himself a quiet word at the next stoppage would be appropriate.

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

See Question: 25036