Can the referee show a yellow or red card to a player in the dressing room?
- Thread starter newref
- Start date
Kes
I'll Decide ...
Bit of a grey area tbh.
Law 5 isn't that clear where this is concerned but I've always read it that the ref's authority begins from when he first enters the grounds/field of play and ends when the match has ended and all players have left the field.
As has already been said, what reason would a ref have to be in a player's changing room unless of course he followed him in there to show a card for something that had occurred outside on the field.
Law 5 isn't that clear where this is concerned but I've always read it that the ref's authority begins from when he first enters the grounds/field of play and ends when the match has ended and all players have left the field.
As has already been said, what reason would a ref have to be in a player's changing room unless of course he followed him in there to show a card for something that had occurred outside on the field.
one
RefChat Addict
Law 12.3 explains this a bit better.
This means only within those time yous can show yellow or red cards so if for some reason you are in the dressing room, say at half time, then you can show the cards. But showing the cards is only the means to communicate caution or send off, so you can still caution or send off without showing the cards.
Outside those times (e.g. before entering the field) you can't caution or send off (so no showing of cards either) but you can prevent anyone from playing the game for committing sending off offences. If they commit a cautionable offence, they can still play with a clean slate.
This means only within those time yous can show yellow or red cards so if for some reason you are in the dressing room, say at half time, then you can show the cards. But showing the cards is only the means to communicate caution or send off, so you can still caution or send off without showing the cards.
Outside those times (e.g. before entering the field) you can't caution or send off (so no showing of cards either) but you can prevent anyone from playing the game for committing sending off offences. If they commit a cautionable offence, they can still play with a clean slate.
So if you are walking to the FOP to do the pre match inspection, a player can come up to you and call you a 'wa**er', to your face without fear of sanction?
one
RefChat Addict
Not really. This is a sending off offence (OFFINABUS). Although you can not sanction him (no red card or sending off) you would prevent him from playing the game. You would report the matter and the league would suspend him appropriately. So the outcome is the same without a send off / red card.
one
RefChat Addict
No it doesn't since a disciplinary action is defined as being a caution or a send off. The referee has not done any of those.
But the referee has done what the law requires him to do: "...prevent the player ... taking part in the match (see Law 3.6); the referee will report any other misconduct."
Yea I would say if you've just rocked up in your car and someone shouts abuse at you, you can't do anything. Once I'm changed and have left the dressing room, that's when I consider I can take disciplinary action. Similarly though, once you've left the field of play, you can no longer sanction anyone for disciplinary reasons, but you should include anything happening after in your report, along with any pre-match incidents.
one
RefChat Addict
It could clearly be infered that from the entirety of law 12.3 (as quoted above). Otherwise do a search for "disciplinary action" or "disciplinary sanction" in the law; it refers to either a yellow or a red card every time. Also these from the glossary
While i am here;
The law is very clear that you can not take disciplinary action until you enter the FOP. So you may have to be a bit more patient until you get there
Where in the laws do
Where in the laws does it state that you cannot take disciplinary action until you enter the FOP?It could clearly be infered that from the entirety of law 12.3 (as quoted above). Otherwise do a search for "disciplinary action" or "disciplinary sanction" in the law; it refers to either a yellow or a red card every time. Also these from the glossary
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While i am here;
The law is very clear that you can not take disciplinary action until you enter the FOP. So you may have to be a bit more patient until you get there
When I was on the Welsh League, the 'pre-match inspection' happened pretty much immediately. We'd get out of the car, greet at the gates, dump the bags in the changing rooms and we'd be out on the field in our suits and boots. I still do this even when I'm on my own, I arrive and walk the pitch or dump the bag and walk the pitch
The sooner you 'enter' the field the better. Stuff could happen when you're changing!
Can you? Yes
Should you? Noooo!
You can always ask for a player to be sent out to you, so if you're looking to card for something that happened pre-match, I'd take this approach. Do it as soon as possible in case the manager wants to change their team sheets in response (you don't have to do this, but it benefits you if the mouthy player doesn't start as a result!). Half time you can either do the same or wait until they come out for the second half.
Post-match is a little different for the reasons other have described. Generally you'll be putting it in as misconduct rather than showing a card, so it's not essential to confront the player directly. It's still good practice though, so if you're going to do this either tell the player as and when you see him, or inform the manager and leave it at that.
I'd advise against going into their changing rooms whenever possible. We'd be furious if a player came barging into our changing room in order to complain or discuss disciplinary issues, so we want to normalise respecting the boundary of changing rooms as much as possible. Whatever the reason, wait outside or ask for someone to go and get the person you need to talk to, but never just go marching in.
one
RefChat Addict
Law 12.3 as quoted in post #4, or law 5.3. "...has the authority to take disciplinary action from entering the field of play for the pre-match inspection until leaving the field of play after the match"
I think it is helpful if I post this explanation form 16-17 LOTG when the wording changed.
Last edited:
"has the authority to take disciplinary action from entering the field of play
for the pre-match inspection until leaving the field of play after the match
ends (including kicks from the penalty mark). If, before entering the field of
play at the start of the match, a player commits a sending-off offence, the
referee has the authority to prevent the player taking part in the match
(see Law 3.6); the referee will report any other misconduct"
I take it that the LOTG defines 'disciplinary action' as just cautions & dismissals then, as they distinguish between it and preventing a player taking part?
for the pre-match inspection until leaving the field of play after the match
ends (including kicks from the penalty mark). If, before entering the field of
play at the start of the match, a player commits a sending-off offence, the
referee has the authority to prevent the player taking part in the match
(see Law 3.6); the referee will report any other misconduct"
I take it that the LOTG defines 'disciplinary action' as just cautions & dismissals then, as they distinguish between it and preventing a player taking part?
Peter Grove
RefChat Addict
Going back to the original question, yes a referee can show a card to a player in the dressing room.
This question came up before and I emailed the IFAB about it. The answer is as shown below:
"Dear Mr Grove
The wording is deliberately chosen so the referee has flexibility to use the cards post the final whistle if it helps to calm or manage the situation
In principle, this will rarely be necessary once the referee has left the field and its surrounds but it’s not forbidden.
Best wishes
David
David Elleray
Technical Director of The IFAB
On Tue, Feb 12, 2019 at 8:50 AM +0100, "Peter Grove" wrote:
This question came up before and I emailed the IFAB about it. The answer is as shown below:
"Dear Mr Grove
The wording is deliberately chosen so the referee has flexibility to use the cards post the final whistle if it helps to calm or manage the situation
In principle, this will rarely be necessary once the referee has left the field and its surrounds but it’s not forbidden.
Best wishes
David
David Elleray
Technical Director of The IFAB
On Tue, Feb 12, 2019 at 8:50 AM +0100, "Peter Grove" wrote:
The Laws of the Game state that the referee: "has the power to show yellow or red cards [...] from entering the field of play at the start of the match until after the match has ended ...'' However, unlike the previous section on when the referee can take disciplinary action, there is no mention of "until leaving the field of play after the match ends."
Until how long after the match has ended, and in what location(s) is the referee permitted to show cards? For instance, would a referee be entitled to show cards to a player who has left the field after the end of the match and is now in the changing area?
Please let me know, thanks.
Peter Grove"
one
RefChat Addict
I'd say so but the explanation from post #15 muddies the water a bit which could be explained by DE's email to PG. Post #15 explaination suggets the period between field inspection and kick off, red cards are shown and count as send off but yellow cards are not showed and no caution is carried into the game.
There seems to be an implication that if you have not set foot on the FOP for pre match inspection, that you can stop someone who commits OFFINABUS from playing, can someone outline the process please?