Question Number: 33058

Law 5 - The Referee 2/11/2019

RE: Competive Adult

Peter Babbage of Hjorring, Denmark asks...

I read today that a player ( I think it was Zouma) remonstrated with the referee after the match had finished. He was shown a yellow card and then a further one when he continued leading to a red. Is this the correct procedure? I would have though as the match had ended , whilst of course he is still under the referres authority, should the ref be brandishing cards? Maybe Im a bit out of step but I thought that for incidents when the game has finished the player should just be reported to the league.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Peter,
the referee is still the authority in charge even as the players are exiting the pitch until they are outside his jurisdiction away from the pitch itself. It s conceivable the player was shown a yellow card as a warning to stop his dissent & then the dissent became abusive so a direct red card would be shown for ABUSE . Or if that player was already ON a yellow card previously in the match then a yellow card shown for dissent & then the red card shown for receiving 2 yellow cards in the match EVEN if the match is technically over would also be correct.

Most referees will be glad to discuss match incidents at or in a less volatile emotional setting but some players or people in general just cannot forgive & forget or calm down enough to wait for that aggressive tendency to dissipate. To agree to disagree & move on is not easy for some & very difficult in highly emotional moments!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
The Laws are written in a way that gives the referee quite a deal of latitude in disciplinary sanctions. The players continue to be under control of the referee before and after the game and while on the field of play cards continue to be shown after the final whistle. Indeed had the player continued with his dissent / outburst in the pitch sorrounds the player would be sanctioned with either a second yellow or a straight red for offensive insulting and abusive language. Away from the FOP the player would be informed of a misconduct report with no card shown.
This is what Law 5 states
** has the authority to take disciplinary action from entering the field of play for the pre-match inspection until leaving the field of play after the match ends (including kicks from the penalty mark). If, before entering the field of play at the start of the match, a player commits a sending-off offence, the referee has the authority to prevent the player taking part in the match (see Law 3.6); the referee will report any other misconduct
• has the power to show yellow or red cards and, where competition rules permit, temporarily dismiss a player, from entering the field of play at the start of the match until after the match has ended, including during the half-time interval, extra time and kicks from the penalty mark**
In fact at international level with perhaps language issues there is no doubt that the language of cards is easily understood so a player who is walking off starts dissenting or abusing the referee will be shown a card which then is clear to everyone what has transpired.
Any doubt as to what transpired here? Say the referee said to the player he was reporting the player for misconduct? To me the language of cards works
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMcVMnRvfI

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Peter,
The wording quoted by ref McHugh indicates that the referee has the authority to show cards ''until after the match has ended.''

According to the IFAB, that wording gives the referee the flexibility to use the cards after the final whistle if it helps to calm or manage the situation. Although it will rarely be necessary once the referee has left the field and its surrounds, it's not actually forbidden.