Question Number: 28959

Law 5 - The Referee 11/9/2014

RE: Adult

John of Caledonia, Ontario Canada asks...

Today I watched the Celtic-Aberdeen SPFL game (November 9, 2014).
Shay Logan of Aberdeen was issued a red card by the referee in the tunnel (after the match) for comments made to a linesman after the final whistle and in the tunnel (off the field of play). A quick search on Google will verify this time-line and these facts.
My understanding of Law 12 is that this is not possible, because although the player can be sanctioned for the alleged comment both on and off the field of play, the referee does not have the authority to do so after the final whistle whilst off the field of play.
Surely I must be missing something here as no one has yet commented to this. Can you clarify how this issuance is possible?
Is this not more a matter for a disciplinary committee, such as when a player comments in Social Media in an abusive fashion et al?
All of us here love 'Ask the Ref', including my children who are also referees, and this is a bit of a stumper we hoped you might help with...

Thank you for your time!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
Players and officials are under the control and jurisdiction the referee from the moment he arrives in the ground to when he leaves. So if a player commits misconduct at any time witnessed by the referee he will be sanctioned according to the nature of the offence and reported for this.
Cards are shown on the field of play for communication. Off the field of play cards are not used so the referee simply informs the player that he is dismissed and that his misconduct will be reported to the competition authority.
So in this situation the referee was entirely justified and in fact correct to do so from reports in the media. The player was alleged to have made comments about a decision on a corner kick to an assistant referee.
I would refer you to Law 5 which states and I quote* provides the appropriate authorities with a match report, which includes information on any disciplinary action taken against players and/or team officials and any other incidents that occurred before, during or after the match* and also Law as * A player who commits a cautionable or sending-off offence, either on or off the field of play, whether directed towards an opponent, a team-mate, the referee, an assistant referee or any other person, is disciplined according to the nature of the offence committed.*
In this case the player used offensive, insulting and abusive language towards a match official which is a sending off offence. As the game has ended the referee simply reports the misconduct. The player will miss the next game and may face further sanction. I suspect that the card was not shown yet it is always reported as being red carded.
If the incident happened before kick off the player would not be allowed to participate and he could be replaced by a named substitute.
I might point out that if a referee was going to his car in the car park and a player abused him the referee would be justified / expected in reporting the matter to the competition organisers. The matter would be investigated with the offender identified and sanction taken.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi John,
most pleased we are loved, as we are frequently unloved, if we are to believe those who yell at us from the touchlines sigh! ;o) It is always a good use of our time when we get questions and a pat on the back from those such as yourself!
The referee is in fact entitled to enforce discipline from the moment he enters the stadium to the time he leaves under FIFA guidelines. It could be a stretch to include the tunnel area as part of the general area comprising the field of play butI hold the opinion if this was half time it certainly is, so see no reason as they exit the field at the match conclusion that it might not!


The referee's authority begins upon arrival at the area of the field of play and continues until he or she has left the area of the field after the game has been completed.

Yellow and red cards, which are now mandatory indications of cautions and send-offs, may be shown only for misconduct committed by players, substitutes, or substituted players during a match.

"During a match" includes:
(a) the period of time immediately prior to the start of play during which players and substitutes are physically on the field warming up, stretching, or otherwise preparing for the match;
(b) any periods in which play is temporarily stopped;
(c) half time or similar breaks in play;
(d) required overtime periods;
(e) kicks from the penalty mark if this procedure is used in case a winner must be determined.
(f) the period of time immediately following the end of play during which the players and substitutes are physically on the field but in the process of exiting.


Any misconduct committed by players or substitutes postgame, after the field has been cleared must be described in the game report and reported to the competition authority. The referee may display cards as long as he or she remains on the field of play after the game is over. Referees are advised to avoid remaining in the area of the field unnecessarily.

I suppose we can classify the exiting process as not yet completed but it is under law 5 the authority of the referee is expanded. I am unsure if a card was actually shown but since the abusive action is a send off offence,it would be reported as such whether or not a card was shown.

LAW 5 The Referee provides the appropriate authorities with a match report, which includes information on any disciplinary action taken against players and/or team officials and any other incidents that occurred before, during or after the match

LAW 5 Additional guidance
The referee has the power to show yellow or red cards during the half-time interval and after the match has finished as well as during extra time and kicks from the penalty mark, since the match remains under his jurisdiction at these times
Cheers

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

See Question: 28969