Question Number: 27940

Law 5 - The Referee 10/27/2013

RE: Premier Under 14

Wendy of Riverside, CT USA asks...

The referee called a foul on a player and the player that was fouled said quite loudly 'Finally' referring to the ref's lack of calls on prior fouls. The next time the same player was fouled, she said 'Ref, she keeps kicking me.' (He had not made a call.) The ref then stopped the game and reprimanded the player that shouted for about 2 minutes. He told her that he did not think that she was mentally fit to be playing soccer that day and that she should probably leave the field. No foul was called on her and no card was given. He did not speak to her coach. To restart the play he gave the opposing team a kick. I have three questions: 1) is it appropriate for a referee to speak to a player this way, 2) what is the appropriate action for a ref to take when a player makes comments about the calls and 3) was this the correct way to restart the play.
Thank you!!

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

1. This referee needs better people skills. While the content was probably correct, the method was not.

2. The referee has several options. He can tell the player, in a professional manner, to knock it off. Or he can caution her for dissent.

3. If the ref stops play only to talk with a player (no foul and no misconduct) then the proper restart is a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Wendy
1. It is absolutely inappropriate for the referee to engage with the player in this manner. He should simply have cautioned the player for dissent. If the player persisted with the dissent then a 2nd yellow should be shown and the player is dismissed.
2. The proper action is either to ignore it , to advise the player to desist with a short statement like "Please stop questioning my calls" or caution for dissent.
3. The proper restart if the game has been stopped to issue a caution for dissent is an IDFK from where the offence took place. If no card is issued then the restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped. Personally if it requires the game to be stopped its a caution and an IDFK.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Wendy,

Persistent low level dissent is something that players should avoid doing and is certainly something the referee should manage (I'm not commenting on the foul/no foul decision, of course, as your question is about the management of the dissent). The referee has several ways they can deal with it - a quick comment while play is going, pull the player aside and have a firmer word, or caution the player.

Questioning a player's mental capacity in doing this is horrendously inappropriate. I'm gobsmacked that this occurred at all, let alone at such a young age. While referees can take a number of approaches in talking to players, they must always be respectful and professional.

The referee can only stop play to deal with dissent if they are going to caution or send off the player - and if so, the restart is an indirect free kick to the opponents from where the dissent occurred. Awarding a free kick just for dissent is definitely against the laws of the game.

While the laws may technically allow for a drop ball if no caution is given (a drop ball is awarded, basically, for anything else that's not already covered elsewhere in the laws), from a practical perspective if it's not serious enough for a caution then it wasn't serious enough to stop play for - it could have waited until the next natural stoppage.