Recent content by Johnson

Doesn’t matter. If the referee is incapacitated, play may continue under the supervision of the other match officials until the ball goes out of play.

I’m not even sure how you justify a red card in Law for this. No hint of excessive force or deliberate violence.

It says or. Even if it didn’t, it would still work in my opinion. Pulling someone’s hair is just so far outside of anything expected in a game of football.

I think we’ve got hung up on the excessive force part of VC. Brutality is also there which literally includes “deliberately violent” in its definition. A deliberate hair pull could certainly fall under that. This was deliberate for me (I’m kind of envious of how Pollyannaish those who think it...

I’ve just realised that “or by touching it with any part of the hands or arms, except if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper has made a save” (which was in the 2024/25 LOTG) appears to have been removed from the definition of the goalkeeper having control of the ball with the...

You were right for the reason you stated. Edit: grammar

Necessary force can’t be the actual minimum amount of force else all contact that isn’t a challenge for the ball is a red card.

Agree that the threshold for excessive is lower against a match official but it’s not zero. Whilst brutality isn’t required for VC, it can be a guide for what kind and severity of actions warrant the sanction. Was the push savage, ruthless or deliberately violent? No. I’ve had players push me...

I’m happy with yellow. He’s pushing him out of the way to take the free kick quickly.

There’s two definitions of includes in English; “for example” and “has as one of its features”. In isolation, both work here. IFAB has clarified they mean “for example”. Therefore, we apply the Law that way. The only case when we should reject IFAB rulings is when there is no interpretation...

The 4th criteria isn’t required. This Q&A is wrong btw. If the defender is cautioned for a reckless challenge or sent-off for using excessive force, the restart is a direct free kick.

There’s always “using unauthorised electronic or communication equipment and/or behaving in an inappropriate manner as a result of using electronic or communication equipment”

Coaches must behave in a responsible manner.

Nothing better than discussing hypotheticals. :) Accept that the push isn’t careless and play is stopped to issue a yellow card for unsporting behaviour. Don’t think we ever get to “any other offence, not mentioned in the Laws” though since there is a restart specified, a direct free kick as...

DFK no? Offence involves contact.