A&H

Player abusive to club linesman. What actions can you take?

newref

Active Member
If a player shouts out and swears at a club linesman of the opposing team - calling him a fat c*** etc because he has lifted his flag for offside. What action can you take apart from having a chat with the player and asking him to watch his language. Can the referee book him or send him off? I know that if he does that with a qualified linesman it's a booking or a red card. However, what about when the abuse is for a Club linesman who is not qualified?
 
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If a player shouts out and swears at a club linesman of the opposing team - calling him a fat c*** etc because he has lifted his flag for offside. What action can you take apart from having a chat with the player and asking him to watch his language. Can the referee book him or send him off? I know that if he does that with a qualified linesman it's a booking or a red card. However, what about when the abuse is for a Club linesman who is not qualified?
Well, what you have described is offinabus so it doesn't really matter whom the abuse is directed to, if could be a stray dog, it would still be offinabus language
In terms of disagreeing with a decision, this can still be Co sidered as dissent. For that game they are considered as a match official and thus disagreement with their decisions is dissent.
 
You can book or send off.

Them being qualified has nothing to do with the sanctions you can apply.

my personal approach is that while the have the flag club linesmen are prt of my team, and I treat any abuse aimed them the same as I would if it were aimed at me.

Ive never had to send someone off for abusing one of my assistants, but there was one occasion where someone called the limo a cheating c***t. I wasn’t 100% on which player said it, so I got both captains in and told them what I had heard and said in no uncertain terms that anything else of a similar nature would result in red cards.
 
Dismissal for OFFINABUS.

If you don't, apart from being wrong in law I think you lose a lot of match control that you'll never get back.
Yes, I agree. I'd just like to add that it's easier said than done because the main issue here is when the player/team believe that the club lino is clearly cheating. Now if that is the case then sometimes the player/team may lose even more control for being punished when they feel hard done by and it can easily lead to a melee. That's not saying you shouldn't apply the law but you just need to be ready for the consequences of applying the law so you are always on guard :stop:
 
Yes, I agree. I'd just like to add that it's easier said than done because the main issue here is when the player/team believe that the club lino is clearly cheating. Now if that is the case then sometimes the player/team may lose even more control for being punished when they feel hard done by and it can easily lead to a melee. That's not saying you shouldn't apply the law but you just need to be ready for the consequences of applying the law so you are always on guard :stop:
If he's clearly cheating you can overrule him.

This comes with it's own challenges of course and it's all down to personal preference / confidence.

If you, as is often the case can see the striker is miles off, try saying to him that you could see he was off. This usually distracts them from the lino, who will usually give some stick back and cause problems.
 
If he's clearly cheating you can overrule him.

This comes with it's own challenges of course and it's all down to personal preference / confidence.

If you, as is often the case can see the striker is miles off, try saying to him that you could see he was off. This usually distracts them from the lino, who will usually give some stick back and cause problems.
I often say "but striker, I thought it was offside, aswell" (if I think it was). They tend to like this, as you are acknowledging that you are watching aswell, and not just taking the AR's decision as gospel.
 
Yes, I agree. I'd just like to add that it's easier said than done because the main issue here is when the player/team believe that the club lino is clearly cheating.

A belief of having been wronged does not justify OFFINABUS. If you as ref think the linesman is doing something improper, you need to deal with it. But OFFINABUS against him needs to be punished.
 
I give you another example. A spectator runs on the pitch and attacks a player. Player punches the spectator in defence. You have no option but to send the player off for violet conduct.
 
If a player shouts out and swears at a club linesman of the opposing team - calling him a fat c*** etc because he has lifted his flag for offside. What action can you take apart from having a chat with the player and asking him to watch his language. Can the referee book him or send him off? I know that if he does that with a qualified linesman it's a booking or a red card. However, what about when the abuse is for a Club linesman who is not qualified?

You have no choice but to send the player off for abusive language. Even if you eventually feel the club linesman is "cheating" and you must replace him, you simply cannot allow someone to use that language on the field.
 
I give you another example. A spectator runs on the pitch and attacks a player. Player punches the spectator in defence. You have no option but to send the player off for violet conduct.
I disagree that you’re left with no option. If a player is acting in self defence then how would it meet the definition of ‘excessive force’ required for violent conduct? It would likely be a proportionate use of force?
 
I disagree that you’re left with no option. If a player is acting in self defence then how would it meet the definition of ‘excessive force’ required for violent conduct? It would likely be a proportionate use of force?
What?!
No.
Brutality = an act that is deliberately violent. A punch is deliberately violent. We don't necessarily have to apply CRUEF to VC. VC is use excessive force when not challenging for ball OR brutality against someone.
Punching someone, in self defence, or otherwise is red card

Also
In addition, a player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately
strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or
arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.
 
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I disagree that you’re left with no option. If a player is acting in self defence then how would it meet the definition of ‘excessive force’ required for violent conduct? It would likely be a proportionate use of force?
The Laws of The Game make no allowance for “self defence”.
 
I disagree that you’re left with no option. If a player is acting in self defence then how would it meet the definition of ‘excessive force’ required for violent conduct? It would likely be a proportionate use of force?
Sorry, you have to dismiss for VC. No option ..

Then, decide whether to abandon if necessary as people fear for their personal safety.

The player sent off has the power to apply to the CFA for a personal hearing to present his case of personal safety, in order to avoid the fine and suspension
 
Sorry, you have to dismiss for VC. No option ..

Then, decide whether to abandon if necessary as people fear for their personal safety.

The player sent off has the power to apply to the CFA for a personal hearing to present his case of personal safety, in order to avoid the fine and suspension
not 100% Yeovil had a keeper do something he wasn’t dismissed and faced no punishment.
 
Back to the original question.

If you don't hear the exact words said to the CAR, would you take his/her word for it and dismiss/caution as necessary?

Further, if you haven't seen/heard anything - ball up other end of field from 'offending' player and CAR for example - would you still issue a card based on what CAR tells you?
 
Back to the original question.

If you don't hear the exact words said to the CAR, would you take his/her word for it and dismiss/caution as necessary?

Further, if you haven't seen/heard anything - ball up other end of field from 'offending' player and CAR for example - would you still issue a card based on what CAR tells you?
Short answer is no and no for me. That's basing on the words from someone who is not exactly impartial and has nothing to lose by fabricating/cheating. Players do it all the time in different shapes and form.

However there are different techniques you can use to 'get it out of the offender' and make a decision based on reasonable understanding. This approach we have discussed in the past and I understand not everyone agrees with me.
 
I’m with @one on this.

If I hear/see something and can positively identify the offender it will be dealt with accordingly, but I wouldn’t act solely on the word of a CAR.
 
Short answer is no and no for me. That's basing on the words from someone who is not exactly impartial and has nothing to lose by fabricating/cheating. Players do it all the time in different shapes and form.

However there are different techniques you can use to 'get it out of the offender' and make a decision based on reasonable understanding. This approach we have discussed in the past and I understand not everyone agrees with me.
I am with one here.

The responsibilities we give to CAR is ball out of play, direction with your consent and in somme places, offside.
We specifically, in most cases, advise that all fouls and misconduct are the referees, so the CAR has not been given remit to report sanctionable misconduct.

In simple terms you have to hear it yourself
 
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