Jovan
04-29-2008, 09:24 PM
To: National Referees
National Instructors
National Assessors
State Referee Administrators
State Directors of Instruction
State Directors of Assessment
cc: State Directors of Coaching
From: Alfred Kleinaitis
Manager of Referee Development and Education
Subject: Quick Free Kicks versus Ceremonial Restarts
Date: April 10, 2007
In a professional match last weekend (DC United at Colorado Rapids,
April 7, 2007), a foul was committed by Colorado player #12 (Petke) against DC
United #10 (Gomez). The referee stopped play and, although clearly holding a
yellow card in his hand to display to Petke for what was obviously a reckless
tackle, he nevertheless allowed play to restart without actually recording the
misconduct or displaying the card.
This is contrary to consistent guidelines from FIFA and USSF, publicized
as long ago as a 2002 USSF memorandum “Ceremonial Restarts After
Misconduct” (November 22) and emphasized as recently as the 2006 Advice to
Referees 12.26 and 13.3. Once the referee has decided to issue a card, whether
to caution or send off a player from either team, the restart must be delayed to
give the card. This is particularly necessary when, as in this incident, the referee
has made the card visible and created an expectation that the restart will not
occur until allowed by the referee.
In such a situation, the referee’s first action must be to announce clearly,
by voice and, if necessary, by the commonly understood action of holding the
whistle up in the air and pointing to it, that play may not restart until another
signal is given. If such an indication is not immediately given and play restarts
quickly or if the referee signals appropriately to hold up play but the ball is kicked
anyway, the referee must call the play back so that the proper procedure is
followed.
National Instructors
National Assessors
State Referee Administrators
State Directors of Instruction
State Directors of Assessment
cc: State Directors of Coaching
From: Alfred Kleinaitis
Manager of Referee Development and Education
Subject: Quick Free Kicks versus Ceremonial Restarts
Date: April 10, 2007
In a professional match last weekend (DC United at Colorado Rapids,
April 7, 2007), a foul was committed by Colorado player #12 (Petke) against DC
United #10 (Gomez). The referee stopped play and, although clearly holding a
yellow card in his hand to display to Petke for what was obviously a reckless
tackle, he nevertheless allowed play to restart without actually recording the
misconduct or displaying the card.
This is contrary to consistent guidelines from FIFA and USSF, publicized
as long ago as a 2002 USSF memorandum “Ceremonial Restarts After
Misconduct” (November 22) and emphasized as recently as the 2006 Advice to
Referees 12.26 and 13.3. Once the referee has decided to issue a card, whether
to caution or send off a player from either team, the restart must be delayed to
give the card. This is particularly necessary when, as in this incident, the referee
has made the card visible and created an expectation that the restart will not
occur until allowed by the referee.
In such a situation, the referee’s first action must be to announce clearly,
by voice and, if necessary, by the commonly understood action of holding the
whistle up in the air and pointing to it, that play may not restart until another
signal is given. If such an indication is not immediately given and play restarts
quickly or if the referee signals appropriately to hold up play but the ball is kicked
anyway, the referee must call the play back so that the proper procedure is
followed.