Question Number: 9113

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct

RE: Competitive Under 16

Bruce Martin of Tulsa, OK USA asks...

While recently watching club play at a tournament in Missouri, my son's team was given a yellow card for dissent. To issue the card, the center ref stopped play while my son's team was driving to the top of the opposing 18yd box and please note no contact was happening at this point. .The card being issued to a field player making a comment to the center as he ran by about his not calling handball infractions. .After issuing the card the ref restarted the game with an indirect kick positioned just at the top of the opposing 18yd. box, and please keep in mind the team taking the indirect kick is the same team he issued the card to. A goal was scored from this kick deciding the game. .I have ref'd club and high school and had never seen this type of restart. I would have used a drop ball for the restart. Please let me know what I could have missed?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Well Bruce the Law requires an indirect free kick restart if the referee stops play to discipline a player. It is taken from the point of the misconduct. Here is what Law 12 says on the subject: ..An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player, in the opinion of the referee:..- plays in a dangerous manner..- impedes the progress of an opponent..- prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands..- commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player..The indirect free kick is taken from where the offence occurred.*..On just reading things it would seem there was an incorrect restart of play, but we don't know what was going on in the referee's head -- he may have had something against your side and at that stoppage he tended to the breach of discipline as well. ..Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Laflin

Bruce, obviously something went wrong here... you would have, however, been incorrect to restart with a drop ball..If the referee stops play to issue a card (with no direct free kick offence being committed), play is restarted with an indirect freekick (as Ref Fleischer points out)..Seems to me that the referee just gave the freekick the wrong way... For the time being at least, all referees are human and this does happen..Jim

Answer provided by Referee Dawson

Hi Bruce, .it is not our habit to comment on why a referee chooses his or her course of action. Based on the information you provided the direction or location of that restart is tough to understand I will base an opnion on the situation decribed by you. ..I remain puzzled at the direction of the restart simply because you imply a goal was scored off of it? .Am I correct in thinking your son's team had ball posession in the opponents half outside the opposition's penalty area but the restart occurred BACK in your son's teams half just outside his penalty area?..If your opponent is shown the card and THAT is the reason play is stopped, as my colleagues' have stated an INDFK is a correct restart for a stoppage to issue a card to a player not a team. This might have been the location of that player when he yelled his comments. The indirect free kick is taken from where the offence occurred.* ..It is a possibility perhaps the card was issued for dissent as misconduct is punishable at ANY time, but the stoppage was for something else that an AR perhaps pointed out?..Best ask the referee in that game in a polite manner of course as to what the decision was. He may feel threatened or he may feel like explaining. Referees are not always approachable, in such cases of error and confrontation are rarely pleasent if emotions are not on an even keel. One can doccument the behaviour of any official player or coeach and submit in writing details of percieved actions. I stress forget fault and blame but strive to fix problems uy getting information and training to those who need it..Cheers...