The Ref Stop

Forest Vs Liverpool

Sky have just broken it down on Monday Night Football, very clearly shows Graham Scott (4th official) pointing and walking down the touchline and saying the ball should be given back to Forest. Once Paul Tierney then drops it to the keeper he shrugs to the Forest technical area as if to say "I tried to tell him". It doesn't look good, and certainly doesn't back the previous suggestions that his colleagues should have helped him out, as it looks very much like at least one of them tried his best to. Of course it could be that Tierney has said over comms that he'd already decided to stop play before the Forest player touches the ball, but it doesn't look like that.
It could be, but probably only if he'd read the special pleading on here.
 
The Ref Stop
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The whistle is required to restart after injury, but not to stop for an injury? We all know in practise that BS, so that list should have something like to stop play for any other reason not listed.
The whistle is not needed to restart after injury.
 
I hesitate to prolong this, but this Q and A for law 5 says the referee stops play to allow an injured player to be treated.

And how does the referee stop play? By blowing the whistle. There is no justification for saying the referee stops play by deciding to stop play. I'm not surprised that IFAB isn't biting into this nonsense.

When the ball is in play in the middle of the field, the referee notices that a player lies on the ground and stops play because he/she thinks that the player is seriously injured. The player leaves the field for treatment. How is play restarted?​

Play is restarted with a dropped ball. The referee drops the ball for one player of the team that last touched the ball at the position where it last touched a player.
 
And how does the referee stop play? By blowing the whistle.
I think you are missing the gist of the non-clarity. Is the referee stopping play by whistling OR signaling to indicate play is/was stopped (at the time he decided he is stopping it).

Screenshot_20240305-125940.jpg
 
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According the the guidelines, yes it is.

But not it seems when the restart is a dropped ball! Would any of you blow the whistle as you do a dropped ball restart?


The whistle is needed to:

  • start play (first and second half of normal play and extra time), after a goal
  • stop play:
    • for a free kick or penalty kick
    • if the match is suspended or abandoned
    • at the end of each half
  • restart play for:
    • free kicks when the appropriate distance is required
    • penalty kicks
  • restart play after it has been stopped for a:
    • caution or sending-off
    • injury
    • substitution
The whistle is NOT needed to:

  • stop play for a clear:
    • goal kick, corner kick, throw-in or goal
  • restart play from:
    • most free kicks, and a goal kick, corner kick, throw-in or dropped ball
 
But not it seems when the restart is a dropped ball! Would any of you blow the whistle as you do a dropped ball restart?


The whistle is needed to:

  • start play (first and second half of normal play and extra time), after a goal
  • stop play:
    • for a free kick or penalty kick
    • if the match is suspended or abandoned
    • at the end of each half
  • restart play for:
    • free kicks when the appropriate distance is required
    • penalty kicks
  • restart play after it has been stopped fora:
    • caution or sending-off
    • injury
    • substitution
The whistle is NOT needed to:

  • stop play for a clear:
    • goal kick, corner kick, throw-in or goal
  • restart play from:
    • most free kicks, and a goal kick, corner kick, throw-in or dropped ball
I never whistle as I drop it (pet hate) but I do always signal that we are ready to restart, after play stopped for a serious injury, by blowing the whistle.

Especially useful where, in most cases, players have left positions to get a drink or see if their seriously injured team mate is ok. A whistle is a useful, right we are ready to restart now, wait a moment until everyone looks ready and drop ball.

I'm not sure why they put dropped ball in that last list. It doesn't make any sense. What if a substitution happens before a dropped ball. I doubt it means that if it's a dropped ball it negates the need to blow the whistle after a substitute. Or if a player is sent off for VC against an outside agent. Logic, to me at least, says it is the other way and that you have to when it's one of the 3 (YC or So, sub, injury) and not for any other dropped ball type.

Same with a GK. No whistle needed. But if a GK comes after a substitution you do.
 
I never whistle as I drop it (pet hate) but I do always signal that we are ready to restart, after play stopped for a serious injury, by blowing the whistle.

Especially useful where, in most cases, players have left positions to get a drink or see if their seriously injured team mate is ok. A whistle is a useful, right we are ready to restart now, wait a moment until everyone looks ready and drop ball.

I'm not sure why they put dropped ball in that last list. It doesn't make any sense. What if a substitution happens before a dropped ball. I doubt it means that if it's a dropped ball it negates the need to blow the whistle after a substitute. Or if a player is sent off for VC against an outside agent. Logic, to me at least, says it is the other way and that you have to when it's one of the 3 (YC or So, sub, injury) and not for any other dropped ball type.

Same with a GK. No whistle needed. But if a GK comes after a substitution you do.
What if the injury is feigned so players can go and get a drink and tactical instructions? (Not worth its own thread, but:
https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/03/gary-neville-names-man-utd-star-conned-ref-manchester-derby-20390968/ )

Or if the GK is wasting time by not getting back in position after an injury stoppage, would you wait - or just blow the whistle and drop the ball to an opponent?
 
What if the injury is feigned so players can go and get a drink and tactical instructions? (Not worth its own thread, but:
https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/03/gary-neville-names-man-utd-star-conned-ref-manchester-derby-20390968/ )
Not really sure what this has to do with whether a whistle is needed after an injury.
Or if the GK is wasting time by not getting back in position after an injury stoppage, would you wait - or just blow the whistle and drop the ball to an opponent?

If the keeper is daft enough not to heed the signal of the whistle to get ready then that's on him. Whereas no whistle, just dropping the ball springs a surprise and all of a sudden the ref is to blame. Every situation is different, it's my general approach. But the key is to let everyone know we are about to restart and, the right way to so that, is the whistle, as per the guidelines.
 
I never whistle as I drop it (pet hate) but I do always signal that we are ready to restart, after play stopped for a serious injury, by blowing the whistle.

Especially useful where, in most cases, players have left positions to get a drink or see if their seriously injured team mate is ok. A whistle is a useful, right we are ready to restart now, wait a moment until everyone looks ready and drop ball.

I'm not sure why they put dropped ball in that last list. It doesn't make any sense. What if a substitution happens before a dropped ball. I doubt it means that if it's a dropped ball it negates the need to blow the whistle after a substitute. Or if a player is sent off for VC against an outside agent. Logic, to me at least, says it is the other way and that you have to when it's one of the 3 (YC or So, sub, injury) and not for any other dropped ball type.

Same with a GK. No whistle needed. But if a GK comes after a substitution you do.
Exactly. If the drop ball is because of an injury, you are expected to have blown at some point to stop the play, and again to restart once the injury has been dealt with.

If the drop ball is the result of the ball hitting the referee, you should whistle to stop play and retrieve the ball, but don't need to whistle again to indicate the game is restarting - presumably because the stoppage will be minimal and it's not expected that anyone will have wandered off to get a drink.
 
But not it seems when the restart is a dropped ball! Would any of you blow the whistle as you do a dropped ball restart?
You are misreading the (poorly written) section.

If there is an injury and will be a DB, a whistle is needed. It is not needed because of the DB, but because of the restart after an injury. This is just the same as a sub followed by a TI: a whistle is not needed because of the TI, but because of the sub. The whistle after subs and injuries is the “hey, everybody, yes we’re starting!” It doesn’t need to be (and shouldn’t be) as the ball is being dropped, but before it to capture everyone’s attention that the R is going to restart play. (And I can’t believe how many new refs I’ve had to tell they can’t blow the whistle after they drop it, as that would restop play . . .)
 
Exactly. If the drop ball is because of an injury, you are expected to have blown at some point to stop the play, and again to restart once the injury has been dealt with.

If the drop ball is the result of the ball hitting the referee, you should whistle to stop play and retrieve the ball, but don't need to whistle again to indicate the game is restarting - presumably because the stoppage will be minimal and it's not expected that anyone will have wandered off to get a drink.
Agree, every scenario needs to be judged on merit. If after a lengthy injury stoppage you clearly need to blow the whistle so that everyone knows you are restarting. Whereas for a very brief stoppage, such as the ball hitting the referee or another ball on the pitch that interferes, you can just drop the ball.
 
Why can't they just answer the question? 😡 😠 😞 😭

That's why I stopped writing to them. It's the hard questions we need a clear answer for, not the easy ones.
I also think that there are too many FAQs - the laws themselves should have clarity in them.
 
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