Question Number: 28865

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/19/2014

RE: Interscholastic High School

John of Madrid, NY USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 28855

Re: NFHS high school rules.
-Can the high school referee penalize misconduct, (ie. dissent, delay, verbal tactics etc.), by awarding an indirect free kick and verbally admonishing the player without cautioning him?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
Unfortunately what happens in all codes is that some referees think that a caution is too much of a sanction for certain *offences* such as unsporting verbal calls and so they just go with an indirect free kick restart.
The example of this is that a player shouts mine or leave it and there is doubt whether that was done for communication or for unsporting reasons. The shout may attracts calls of No Name Ref from the opponents which unfortunately some referees oblige with an IDFK award. That is wrong and it should not happen.
The IDFK is taken from the location of the misconduct after the player has been cautioned. If there is no caution there should not be an IDFK in these situations.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

No.

But, under NFHS rules, if the referee stops play to warn/chew out/talk to a player AND at the time play is stopped, the ball is in the possession of the opposing team, the restart is an IFK to the team in possession where the ball was located when play was stopped. (Not a dropped ball as in the Laws of the Game.) The wise referee may choose when to stop play to warn a player.

Answer provided by Referee James Sowa

John,

For each of the potential incidents you describe above, the only reason to stop play is because they have risen to level of unsporting behavior. At this point, you should caution for the unsporting behavior. If it doesn't rise to the level of USB, then it is likely trifling or can be dealt with a talk to the player at the next stoppage. There is no reason to stop play unless you absolutely MUST deal with it.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

John,

All of these are covered by Rule 12-8-1 and are, as you indicate, misconducts. If the referee stops play because of one of these misconducts, a caution is to be given and the player must leave the field.

If a referee believes that a warning rather than a caution is needed, a verbal warning can be given during play or at the next stoppage.

However, if the game is stopped because a misconduct occurred, the caution is to be given. The restart would be an indirect or direct kick for the misconduct or another restart such as a throw-in if that occurred before the misconduct.

I hope your season is going well.