Offensive, insulting or abusive language

[JH]

I'm sure the more experienced refs on here won't even need to think about what they consider a red card offence for language, however if you haven't had lots of experience and haven't had much 'offensive' language to deal with, it's hard to know where your boundaries should be.

For example, should being called a 'cheat' always be a red card offence?

I realise that different people have different tolerance levels but unless you know some sort of standard beforehand, it might leave you hesitating when it comes to it.

I guess the question is what would come under this category for you as an individual?

 

[Kieran W]

Short answer: Yes, always

 

[Sheffields Finest]

Shameless copied from t'net, but saved me typing similar!!! (not sure how 100% current it is but its pretty close)

It is our policy that we will not tolerate Offensive and/or Insulting and/or Abusive Language (OIAL).

That does not mean that every time a player swears they have to be sent-off. However, referees
must take action every time. They must also do so consistently in that and every game.

BFR is implementing this zero-tolerance approach in conjunction with BDAFA. We will enforce this
on the field and BDAFA will do so off the field. BDAFA have advised their clubs that this is the case. In
turn, players should start the season knowing what to expect.

We can use our discretion but not take the soft option. There are three ways we will be dealing with
OIAL, depending on the situation:
1. A chat "on the run" or a public warning
2. A yellow card
3. A red card

How do we determine what approach to use?

A chat on the run or a public warning
A chat is to be used when a player uses OIAL in a mild tone and generally at himself or in discussion
with a team mate and is curtailed quickly. It would be recommended that the player in this instance
be reminded of his obligations in relation to OIAL and be given a chance to clean it up. Further
instances will be punished more severely.

A public warning is used when a player uses OIAL but "open play"...Q!: the position of the player
doesn't allow a quiet word or you want to make it clear to all players that the language is becoming
unacceptable.

A Yellow card
There are instances that OIAL is used but common sense tells you that it has not reached the level of
overt abuse. A small amount of aggression is involved but it is not a sustained burst. A yellow card
should then be used, be it Y1 (Unsporting behaviour) or Y3 (Persistent Infringements)

For instance, a yellow card would be used when a player swears at an opponent in a not overly
aggressive response to something that has been done to him (e.g. a bad tackle, a pull on the shirt
etc.). The source of this approach, by the way, is Mark Shield, National Director of Referees. The key
words here are not overly aggressive.

A Red Card
This would be done when a player let's fly with openly hostile OIAL and/or uses racial, religious
and/or sexual slurs or insults the impartiality ofthe match officials. It also includes where players
dissent the match official's decision(s) by use of aggressive OIAl. Any player who brings the game
into disrepute by overtly hostile use of OIAL will be sent-off (R6).

It is an essential part of this policy that as a BFR referee you act in all instances. It is not sufficient
that you as a referee in Bankstown accept that OIAL is just part of the game. It is imperative that all
referees enforce this policy in the same manner.

Any referee who chooses to ignore this policy will be subject to disciplinary action as a result of any
complaints lodged.

 

[CO. DOWN REF]

If it begins with F'ing then it's red - eg yesterday 'F'ing halfwit yesterday' earned a red. Similarly, anything with cheat in it also - as in last week, ' cheating b' stard.' then anything b' stard, Roger Hunt etc.
Amazing how many are surprised to see red after though.

 

[Sheffields Finest]

Cheat, Clown and Jeremy Hunt or similar usually ended in an early bath if I could pin the perpetrator 100%!

 

[Dan1882]

What about swearing out of frustration?

Any offinabus directed at me is a straight red. But what about when they miss hit a pass and either swear at themselves or a team mate towards them?

 

[HoofItYouDonkey]

Interestingly I always warn managers/captains before the game that I will dismiss any player who calls a CAR (and me) a cheat.
I cautioned a player the other week who shouted out (deliberately in earshot) "the ref's got a red shirt on", he got a yellow.

 

[alexgr]

What about swearing out of frustration?

Any offinabus directed at me is a straight red. But what about when they miss hit a pass and either swear at themselves or a team mate towards them?

I am generally fine with this. Will normally say something like "I understand you're frustrated and that's fine, but just be aware of who's around you" (especially if there are kids). Usually received well.

Interestingly I always warn managers/captains before the game that I will dismiss any player who calls a CAR (and me) a cheat.
I cautioned a player the other week who shouted out (deliberately in earshot) "the ref's got a red shirt on", he got a yellow.

Two things here:

1) Think warning managers/captains beforehand is always a good thing to do - sets them up for the fall, easy to sell if you then turn around and have to dismiss them. Can't say you didn't tell them so!
2) Saying 'the ref has X shirt on' or 'we're playing against 12 here' is exactly the same as saying you cheated in my opinion. I would dismiss.

 

[Mintyref]

Interestingly I always warn managers/captains before the game that I will dismiss any player who calls a CAR (and me) a cheat.
I cautioned a player the other week who shouted out (deliberately in earshot) "the ref's got a red shirt on", he got a yellow.

I'd have walked him for that one......had a spell warning players about language but gave it up when they started asking for cards when opposition players s wore out of frustration.
Tell them nowt, increases the looks of surprise when you flash the red!

 

[HoofItYouDonkey]

I suppose I didn't walk him as the comment was only indirectly aimed at me and it's implied.
However, thanks, food for thought.

 

[Sheffields Finest]

I had a young OA player taking a kick off after conceding a 4th goal before half time ask me if I’d got an opposition shirt on, safe to say at 9-0 they may of really needed him in defensive duties in the second half. It was a shame he was on the sidelines looking fresh from his non-exertion!

 

[Padfoot]

I suppose I didn't walk him as the comment was only indirectly aimed at me and it's implied.
However, thanks, food for thought.

But he made sure you heard it!

Beware of the seemingly indirect comments.....players know damn well you can hear it and it’s said to chip away at you, but they think they don’t say it to your face you can’t do anything about it.....

 

[Sheffields Finest]

I was a stickler for this, they rarely escaped my bat ears, my regulars knew what was coming for upstarts unaware of my tolerance. A few would even make tracks to cover up the mouth of an irate team mate. Typical poor standard where everything against them is wrong! And your fault!

 

[NorthLondonRef]

I was a stickler for this, they rarely escaped my bat ears, my regulars knew what was coming for upstarts unaware of my tolerance. A few would even make tracks to cover up the mouth of an irate team mate. Typical poor standard where everything against them is wrong! And your fault!

So annoying. I always found up to about U15 it was maybe one or two mouthy kids at most. At U16 they start going to parties and are allowed out after 8pm and that's when they get lippy. I had the luxury of doing the same two or three teams every other week at my local pitches so I was able to get a grip on it pretty quickly.

The worst teams were always the mouthiest. I used to do a team where the manager's son was the captain and he proceeded to tell me that "I'm a qualified referee ref and blah blah blah" and wouldn't shut up. They were 4-0 down or something and he was focusing his attention on me and I reminded him that if he actually focused on defending then maybe they wouldn't be 4-0. In a mischievous kind of way I used to really enjoy those sort of conversations because for the life of me I could never understand players who used to be absolutely atrocious and literally be the main cause for being 5-0 down after 60 minutes yet somehow everything was my fault!

 

[one]

because for the life of me I could never understand players who used to be absolutely atrocious and literally be the main cause for being 5-0 down after 60 minutes yet somehow everything was my fault!

Have you noticed the first defender who claims offside is the lazy one who puts the attacker onside. Its to save face by shifting the blame knowing they have stuffed up. In your case he know he is he pulling the team down and tries to save face shifting the blame on you. Any of his team mates who are decent players figure it out after a few games. Keep the banter going, but don't let them cross the line.

 

[Mintyref]

I suppose I didn't walk him as the comment was only indirectly aimed at me and it's implied.
However, thanks, food for thought.

I disagree, clear allegation of favouritism......red card all day long if audible to me......

 

[Ben448844]

Shameless copied from t'net, but saved me typing similar!!! (not sure how 100% current it is but its pretty close)

It is our policy that we will not tolerate Offensive and/or Insulting and/or Abusive Language (OIAL).

That does not mean that every time a player swears they have to be sent-off. However, referees
must take action every time. They must also do so consistently in that and every game.

BFR is implementing this zero-tolerance approach in conjunction with BDAFA. We will enforce this
on the field and BDAFA will do so off the field. BDAFA have advised their clubs that this is the case. In
turn, players should start the season knowing what to expect.

We can use our discretion but not take the soft option. There are three ways we will be dealing with
OIAL, depending on the situation:
1. A chat "on the run" or a public warning
2. A yellow card
3. A red card

How do we determine what approach to use?

A chat on the run or a public warning
A chat is to be used when a player uses OIAL in a mild tone and generally at himself or in discussion
with a team mate and is curtailed quickly. It would be recommended that the player in this instance
be reminded of his obligations in relation to OIAL and be given a chance to clean it up. Further
instances will be punished more severely.

A public warning is used when a player uses OIAL but "open play"...Q!: the position of the player
doesn't allow a quiet word or you want to make it clear to all players that the language is becoming
unacceptable.

A Yellow card
There are instances that OIAL is used but common sense tells you that it has not reached the level of
overt abuse. A small amount of aggression is involved but it is not a sustained burst. A yellow card
should then be used, be it Y1 (Unsporting behaviour) or Y3 (Persistent Infringements)

For instance, a yellow card would be used when a player swears at an opponent in a not overly
aggressive response to something that has been done to him (e.g. a bad tackle, a pull on the shirt
etc.). The source of this approach, by the way, is Mark Shield, National Director of Referees. The key
words here are not overly aggressive.

A Red Card
This would be done when a player let's fly with openly hostile OIAL and/or uses racial, religious
and/or sexual slurs or insults the impartiality ofthe match officials. It also includes where players
dissent the match official's decision(s) by use of aggressive OIAl. Any player who brings the game
into disrepute by overtly hostile use of OIAL will be sent-off (R6).

It is an essential part of this policy that as a BFR referee you act in all instances. It is not sufficient
that you as a referee in Bankstown accept that OIAL is just part of the game. It is imperative that all
referees enforce this policy in the same manner.

Any referee who chooses to ignore this policy will be subject to disciplinary action as a result of any
complaints lodged.

As a first season ref, I found this to be very useful, thanks for posting.

What I find difficult to comprehend though is that this advice is not adhered to in professional football. You watch a PL game on tv and the OFFINABUS that goes on towards officials is constant and the criteria for red cards is met constantly throughout the game yet it's very rarely applied.

 

[zarathustra]

As a first season ref, I found this to be very useful, thanks for posting.

What I find difficult to comprehend though is that this advice is not adhered to in professional football. You watch a PL game on tv and the OFFINABUS that goes on towards officials is constant and the criteria for red cards is met constantly throughout the game yet it's very rarely applied.

Professions referees will say that they didn’t hear something.

But, I believe that they intentionally ignore offinabus unless it is exceptionally aggressive because the teams don’t want their best player to miss a game because the referee doesn’t like to be sworn at.

 

[Deleted member 3014]

For me personally I’ve got no issue with a player swearing in frustration, I do however have an issue if they swear at me a team mate or an opponent, I’ll allow a player one strike for swearing indirectly at me regarding a decision however if it’s ever directly at me (which hasn’t happened to date) then there is going to be a problem & then it’ll all depends on what was said and how it was said as to which colour the card will be.

The biggest concern I have with my refereeing is consistency, I’m always conscious of it, I’d hate to ping one player for dissent & not the next for a similar offence.

 

[Deleted member 3014]

As a first season ref, I found this to be very useful, thanks for posting.

What I find difficult to comprehend though is that this advice is not adhered to in professional football. You watch a PL game on tv and the OFFINABUS that goes on towards officials is constant and the criteria for red cards is met constantly throughout the game yet it's very rarely applied.

It all boils down to the biggest Word in my opinion in Refereeing INTERPRETATION..

Whether it be a foul dissent or anything else it all comes down to how you interpret it..

There are many different ways of saying f*ck off.. & many different ways someone can take it.

I agree that premier league refs are told to f*ck off all the time, I see it every time I turn the box on, if you go by the letter of the law you’ll end up with 7 v 7 every week.

Like I said it’s all down to how you interpret it.