The Ref Stop

Junior/Youth U13 game OFFINABUS gesture

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RespectTheRef

New Member
Level 6 Referee
This weekend I refereed a U13 game in a local youth league. Claret vs White. Current scorline 1-4.

Clarets score their second goal of the game just before stoppage time (2-4). The Claret attacker grabbed the ball from the net and ran it towards the centre circle to speed up the restart of the game. Whilst he was running, a player from White was chasing him down the field kicking his ankles. The kicks were not excessive force nor brutality. The White player then tripped himself over whilst trying to kick the Claret player.

As you would imagine, this got a big cheer and a laugh from the Claret supporters and players. Once the White player got back to his feet, he deliberatly gave the Claret player 2 middle fingers.

I saw the middle fingers and produced a Direct Red Card for an OFFINABUS gesture.

After the full-time whistle whilst still on the FOP, the manager has a moan citing Mental Health of the player and how he was only 13 years old. I asked the manager to stop a few times but he refused so I cautioned him for SOW04 Dissent by Word and promptly walked away from the manager as I did not wish to engage with him any further. The manager was insisting that rather than producing a red card, I should have had a stern talking to with the player as its only U13 football.

At the side of the pitch, I was putting all of my equipment away in my kit bag (There's no changing rooms at this ground) and as the same manager I already cautioned is leaving the FOP he again is shouting over to me regarding how the player I dismissed was only 13 years old. I just ignored him.

I don't like to give cards at U13 level however I felt that this was an unavoidable dismissal.

Was just interested to see peoples views and opinions on this incident and how you would have dealt with the situation yourself.
 
The Ref Stop
Job well done. On to the next game.

The only thing I would ask you to reflect on is how is kicking a player while the ball is not in play neither excessive force nor VC. Excessive force is subject to the context. Many players have been sent off for kicking out with little force, David Beckham being a high profile one.

The other thing to reflect on is if you could have been proactive to prevent this kicking.
 
To me the sendoff is an absolute no brainer. If heks old enough to make the gesture, he’s old enough to be sent off for it.

I do think you should consider whether you should have intervened sooner—as soon as the knucklehead is trying to kick the opponent, ikd suggest sprinting there with the whistle. Whether or not you decide it gets t a send off, it should at least be a stern talking to and nipping things in the bud.
 
Excessive force is when a player exceeds the necessary level of force.

Brutality is an act which is savage, ruthless or deliberately violent.

The necessary amount of force to be used when the ball is not in play is negligible. Kicking an opponent definitely exceeds that.

Deliberately kicking an opponent several times is also deliberately violent.

Sounds like hammered-on VC for me, but the OFFINABUS was also hammered-on and the outcome was the same so can’t complain too hard.
 
RespectTheRef said:
This weekend I refereed a U13 game in a local youth league. Claret vs White. Current scorline 1-4.

Clarets score their second goal of the game just before stoppage time (2-4). The Claret attacker grabbed the ball from the net and ran it towards the centre circle to speed up the restart of the game. Whilst he was running, a player from White was chasing him down the field kicking his ankles. The kicks were not excessive force nor brutality. The White player then tripped himself over whilst trying to kick the Claret player.

As you would imagine, this got a big cheer and a laugh from the Claret supporters and players. Once the White player got back to his feet, he deliberatly gave the Claret player 2 middle fingers.

I saw the middle fingers and produced a Direct Red Card for an OFFINABUS gesture.

After the full-time whistle whilst still on the FOP, the manager has a moan citing Mental Health of the player and how he was only 13 years old. I asked the manager to stop a few times but he refused so I cautioned him for SOW04 Dissent by Word and promptly walked away from the manager as I did not wish to engage with him any further. The manager was insisting that rather than producing a red card, I should have had a stern talking to with the player as its only U13 football.

At the side of the pitch, I was putting all of my equipment away in my kit bag (There's no changing rooms at this ground) and as the same manager I already cautioned is leaving the FOP he again is shouting over to me regarding how the player I dismissed was only 13 years old. I just ignored him.

I don't like to give cards at U13 level however I felt that this was an unavoidable dismissal.

Was just interested to see peoples views and opinions on this incident and how you would have dealt with the situation yourself.
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If I am reading this right you are massively in the wrong here you have affectively sending off a kid who’s reacted to being mocked and abused from the sidelines if you want my advice extraordinary report needed and if I’m honest I think I would mention and report yourself to safeguarding officer sorry if this seems harsh but I would be very uncomfortable with your actions if I saw it that said if you do the above you can take it as a learning opportunity.
 
HonestRef said:
If I am reading this right you are massively in the wrong here you have affectively sending off a kid who’s reacted to being mocked and abused from the sidelines if you want my advice extraordinary report needed and if I’m honest I think I would mention and report yourself to safeguarding officer sorry if this seems harsh but I would be very uncomfortable with your actions if I saw it that said if you do the above you can take it as a learning opportunity.
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I could not disagree with you more. The white player was the miscreant kicking an opponent. The opponents laugh when his misbehavior causes him to trip. Nothing in the OP describes anything reaching the level of abuse. And the white player who caused the problem responds with clear OFFINABUS. Even if some sanction was appropriate for the touchline, the sendoff is completely warranted and appropriate.
 
socal lurker said:
I could not disagree with you more. The white player was the miscreant kicking an opponent. The opponents laugh when his misbehavior causes him to trip. Nothing in the OP describes anything reaching the level of abuse. And the white player who caused the problem responds with clear OFFINABUS. Even if some sanction was appropriate for the touchline, the sendoff is completely warranted and appropriate.
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He describes clear abuse in fact I would be having main culprits removed before continuing any game I standby everything and strongly suggest he mentions this incident to safeguarding officer in case anyone reports his inaction and yes I’ve seen this happen previously so best to let them know.
 
Something that could be prevented is the very nature of going into the goal and retrieving the ball when it is not your restart. It has caused many scuffles between the goalkeeper and the opposition player who is trying to get the ball. Leave the ball alone and trust in the official to add any time on should it be wasted in getting the ball back to the halfway line. Surprised IFAB hasn't done something about this already.
 
HonestRef said:
He describes clear abuse in fact I would be having main culprits removed before continuing any game I standby everything and strongly suggest he mentions this incident to safeguarding officer in case anyone reports his inaction and yes I’ve seen this happen previously so best to let them know.
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I don’t know what you’re picturing from “A big cheer and a laugh,” but I’m sure not picturing anything close to abuse. (I note that the coach complaining about the card did not complain about the behavior of the other touchline, only that send offs are too harsh for 13 year olds.)
 
Homer Ref said:
Something that could be prevented is the very nature of going into the goal and retrieving the ball when it is not your restart. It has caused many scuffles between the goalkeeper and the opposition player who is trying to get the ball. Leave the ball alone and trust in the official to add any time on should it be wasted in getting the ball back to the halfway line. Surprised IFAB hasn't done something about this already.
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There was an experiment in making it an automatic caution. It was considered a failure.
 
Agree with the two posters regarding the previous tripping/kicking - blowing the whistle early and intervening for that might have prevented the incident escalating.

However, having escalated you dealt with it in the way it should’ve been, so well done for that.

Couldn’t disagree with @HonestRef take more - I do understand that at U13s you try to manage things as as much as possible but age is not carte blanche for a player to do what the hell one likes. Is U14s too young for RC? U15s? U16s?

At some point dickhead behaviour is dickhead behaviour, not just a kid who has no idea what they’re doing. This was dickhead behaviour that thoroughly deserved a red, even if the lead-up might have been managed better.
 
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RespectTheRef said:
big cheer and a laugh from the Claret supporters and players.
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HonestRef said:
you are massively in the wrong
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HonestRef said:
He describes clear abuse
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The safeguarding officer must be a very, very, very busy person your leagues if this is the standard used. 🤣

If we follow your advise what do we teach these kids? You do something that is clearly wrong, if you get a reaction that you don't like you can retaliate, you not only won't get punished, you also get support.

I am not one for mocking kids in sport no matter what the reason or if it is deserved, especially from adults. But to call it clear abuse and say the referee was massively wrong in dealing with the kid's behavior is 'massively wrong' in my opinion.
 
Homer Ref said:
Something that could be prevented is the very nature of going into the goal and retrieving the ball when it is not your restart. It has caused many scuffles between the goalkeeper and the opposition player who is trying to get the ball. Leave the ball alone and trust in the official to add any time on should it be wasted in getting the ball back to the halfway line. Surprised IFAB hasn't done something about this already.
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They did so a few seasons ago, but it was removed after 1 or 2 seasons.
 
one said:
The safeguarding officer must be a very, very, very busy person your leagues if this is the standard used. 🤣

If we follow your advise what do we teach these kids? You do something that is clearly wrong, if you get a reaction that you don't like you can retaliate, you not only won't get punished, you also get support.

I am not one for mocking kids in sport no matter what the reason or if it is deserved, especially from adults. But to call it clear abuse and say the referee was massively wrong in dealing with the kid's behavior is 'massively wrong' in my opinion.
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Nope because it’s not ignored and swept under the carpet it stamps out rotten apples and increases standard of referee as cash grab refs won’t want hassle of safeguarding reports in a leauge and CFA hot on it
 
I reckon coaches leave discipline up to us far too much when it is they who can have the ability to control a player's actions and reactions as they seem to have more respect for them than us. The OP has no alternative but to issue a red card. Player discipline is their responsibility too.
 
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