Ladies Abusive language

[jertzee]

Was watching a Ladies open age game recently.
The away team were giving the ref a bit of a hard time, two or three players constantly claiming throw ins etc when it was clear they kicked it off etc.
After four or five shouts at from the manger, an hour into the game he shouts "You're having an absolute shocker ref!" - true he wasn't having the greatest game but he kept ignoring the abuse.

One of the away team players who consistently claimed free kicks, throw ins etc also had a mouth that my mother would say "needed washing out with soap", often swearing (mainly f and b words) when she sliced a clearance, or berated a fellow team member. Cleverly she never swore at he ref..it was just the "Aw ref, that must be a free kick to us!!"

This carried on for 90 minutes...not a word said by the ref who just chose to ignore it.

I was stunned by how he kept ignoring it. I would have at the very least, spoke to the bench and the worst offenders on the pitch but nothing.

My question is, though, where does foul and abusive language kick in if it is not aimed at anyone? Her swearing was mainly following her mistakes. I would have booked her for dissent - but the swearing??

Guidance please.

Thanks

 

[DaveMac]

Personally, and I know people will disagree with this, but if someone messes up and swears I ignore it. Unless it's shouted extremely loudly, which I think is excessive and uncalled for. But I know myself if I happen to do something wrong in life like drop the car keys or something then I might swear. So tend to let that slide. I wouldn't if the swearing was directed at someone, especially myself.

 

[HertsFinest]

Swearing in its self is not offensive insulting or abusive. Therefore you dont have to punish it. The context is key and the intention of the swearing. If the swearing is targeted at somebody and done to aggravate aggresive words then youre potentually looking at offinabus

 

[jertzee]

The worst thing about the swearing was that it was loud. It didn't matter where you were it could be heard.

The match was on a private sports ground but either way constant. (she didn't have a great game, lol)

 

[SM]

May not have had a clear offinabus, but plenty of scope for cautions for dissent in what you have said.

 

[HRW]

Player keeps calling himself a cun%, or other player and it is seemed to be commonly accepted language.

Swearing in its self is not offensive insulting or abusive. Therefore you dont have to punish it. The context is key and the intention of the swearing. If the swearing is targeted at somebody and done to aggravate aggresive words then youre potentually looking at offinabus

So when you swear at PC Plod, one of the possible offenses is not to do with causing offence ? (see Section 5, The PublicOrder Act 1936)

Anyone who causes or permits an act or gesture that is intended to cause offence, harassement, alarm or distress by word or action is guilty of an offence. (paraphrased)

Doesnt have to aimed at someone else, even if you are "having a go at" yourself, that is also included. Strange that things you do to yourself, in private are also crimes but thats another subject.

 

[DaveMac]

So I through ball and th centre half slips as he turns to run and says s**t to himself as the striker goes through on goal. Who is going to whip out a card for that?

 

[McTavish]

Doesnt have to aimed at someone else, even if you are "having a go at" yourself, that is also included. Strange that things you do to yourself, in private are also crimes but thats another subject.

It doesn't have to be aimed at somebody but it has to be "within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby". So for section 5 to be used, people have to be considerably more than offended or insulted.

There is also specific defence if you are in a private place and don't expect anyone else to hear you so in this case things that you do to yourself in private are not crimes.

 

[fatmikey]

I usually ask players who are swearing to calm it down especially if there are parents or kids on the sidelines

 

[AlexF]

Like @fatmikey if a player is swearing, I make a point of letting them know that if it becomes public (ie, if it can be heard clearly across the field), then we'll have an issue, so to try to keep it to him or herself.

 

[haywain]

No harm in shouting 'language', 'player, watch your language' or 'find another word' type comments to players with limited vocabularies. Entry point to 'stepped approach'

 

[RegalRef]

[QUOTE="HRW, post: 36175, member: 572]

So when you swear at PC Plod, one of the possible offenses is not to do with causing offence ? (see Section 5, The PublicOrder Act 1936)[/QUOTE]

Not sure I've ever seen Plod running around a football pitch with the handcuffs out.

In all seriousness though isn't this why FIFA changed 'Foul and Abusive Language' to OFFINABUS?

Swearing is permitted per-say, but if at oneself (if at Christmas and you have your own ) and not offensive, aggressive or abusive.

Refs call really, but I agree with Haywain - if it is loud but none of the above I'd be giving a loud verbal warning of 'Watch your language player'.

 

[HRW]

At professional level, but also to a certain extent at grass roots, the agreement between The FA and the Police (not sure if worldwide but certainly in England) is that The FA has the opportunity to take action first, before the Police come in to take their action.

eg, VC on the pitch is almost certainly equivalent to something that could be charged with assault. But The FA (via you) deal with it, we donl;t call the cops every time there is a RC for VC. At a higher level look at all the racist / sexst / homophobic comment cases (Rio, Terry, Mario et al). The FA did their investigations and bits and bobs first. If they find a case they charge / fine / match ban etc and nothing more is said.but when their conclusion was "nothing wrong here" it is then opened up to the CPS as a case to investigate should anoyne make a complaint.

 

[McTavish]

At a higher level look at all the racist / sexst / homophobic comment cases (Rio, Terry, Mario et al). The FA did their investigations and bits and bobs first. If they find a case they charge / fine / match ban etc and nothing more is said.but when their conclusion was "nothing wrong here" it is then opened up to the CPS as a case to investigate should anoyne make a complaint.

This is just not the case. Where there is a police investigation, the FA wait for the result of the investigation and then, if necessary, the court case. Only then do they make an FA charge. For example, John Terry was found not guilty in court on 13th July and was not charged by the FA until 27th July.