The Ref Stop

Player swears at an opponent verbal abuse only

N

newref

Active Member
Whilst the ball is in play. Off the ball a Player from Team A shouts out "F**** O** you F**** Idiot" to a player from Team B. What, if any is the action that needs to be taken? Do you stop play immediately? Also is it a booking or do you just have a word?
 
The Ref Stop
This discussion has been had more than any other subject (Ok maybe not as many times as hand ball or maybe VAR in recent times).

You can do anything from ignore to send the player off. The words used is only a small part of it. So you have given us only a small picture. How loud, how aggressive, the atmosphere of the game, the events leading up, the event it lead it to, the level and age group, the area (yes the area, town, country)... And many more factors considered as context.

I Wouldn't recommend ignoring, at the very least it's a quiet word on the run.
 
you have a number of options...
  1. ignore it and play on
  2. have a passing word with the player about their language
  3. play on but stop play at the next stoppage and rebuke the player for their language
  4. stop play immediately (or play on and stop play at the next stoppage) and red card for using offensive / absuve language
  5. you could also yellow for unsporting behaviour but it's not dissent (as it wasnt aimed at you)
there's no right or wrong option here, it would all depend on your tolerance levels and the way the game as gone previously
 
My son was sent off last weekend for telling opposition player to F@#k Off after he (my son) had given away a penalty and was adamant he won the ball. The player said he was a F@#$ing cheat so my son replied back. Opposing player didnt even get spoken to. Age group was U14s and we could have been promoted if we had won, we lost 4-1 :-(.
 
Purron4 said:
My son was sent off last weekend for telling opposition player to F@#k Off after he (my son) had given away a penalty and was adamant he won the ball. The player said he was a F@#$ing cheat so my son replied back. Opposing player didnt even get spoken to. Age group was U14s and we could have been promoted if we had won, we lost 4-1 :-(.
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Did you approach the referee after the game to tell him he was wrong?
 
one said:
Did you approach the referee after the game to tell him he was wrong?
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was he 'wrong'?

i dont think many here would send off for that but i think it's supportable under offinabus. of course not sending the opponent off is inconsistent though
 
es1 said:
was he 'wrong'?

i dont think many here would send off for that but i think it's supportable under offinabus. of course not sending the opponent off is inconsistent though
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You didn't answer my question.

Edit: oh just realised you are not the original poster. I'll wait for him to answer it before I reply to your post ;)
 
es1 said:
you have a number of options...
  1. ignore it and play on
  2. have a passing word with the player about their language
  3. play on but stop play at the next stoppage and rebuke the player for their language
  4. stop play immediately (or play on and stop play at the next stoppage) and red card for using offensive / absuve language
  5. you could also yellow for unsporting behaviour but it's not dissent (as it wasnt aimed at you)
there's no right or wrong option here, it would all depend on your tolerance levels and the way the game as gone previously
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Yeah, it's one of those "YHTBT" type scenarios.

For me, I'm always "guided" in my reaction to it by how loud and public the offence was and also by the reaction of the players to it (particularly the person it was directed at).

In a grass roots game atop a windy Mendip hill with one or two spectators around, I'm managing it with a stern word or perhaps even a yellow for USB (AA) since that'll probably keep the players happy but in a say, cup final with many spectators (often including small kids) where everybody can hear it - the player is walking.
 
Kes said:
Yeah, it's one of those "YHTBT" type scenarios.

For me, I'm always "guided" in my reaction to it by how loud and public the offence was and also by the reaction of the players to it (particularly the person it was directed at).

In a grass roots game atop a windy Mendip hill with one or two spectators around, I'm managing it with a stern word or perhaps even a yellow for USB (AA) since that'll probably keep the players happy but in a say, cup final with many spectators (often including small kids) where everybody can hear it - the player is walking.
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i admire your stance but there's zero chance i'm walking a player for saying that to another player, whatever the circumstances of the game

of the multitude of things that get said on a pitch that's pretty tame
 
es1 said:
i admire your stance but there's zero chance i'm walking a player for saying that to another player, whatever the circumstances of the game

of the multitude of things that get said on a pitch that's pretty tame
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"F**** O** you F**** Idiot"
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Offensive? - tick
Insulting? - tick
Abusive? - tick

Like I said, it all depends on the occasion - sometimes you're given no choice. Especially if a player (normally the recipient of the abuse) takes you to task over it.

I'd expect my match control to go to rat **** if I then had to walk a player for dropping the "C bomb" to someone later in the game.
 
Kes said:
Offensive? - tick
Insulting? - tick
Abusive? - tick

Like I said, it all depends on the occasion - sometimes you're given no choice. Especially if a player (normally the recipient of the abuse) takes you to task over it.

I'd expect my match control to go to rat **** if I then had to walk a player for dropping the "C bomb" to someone later in the game.
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you're right but pretty much anything can be offinabus if you want it to be and being swayed by the reaction of a player a dangerous place to be
 
es1 said:
was he 'wrong'?

i dont think many here would send off for that but i think it's supportable under offinabus. of course not sending the opponent off is inconsistent though
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I don't know if it was wrong because I wasn't there and don't have enough context. But I do find the post as being only one side of the story and more often than not missing information or misrepresented.

It's implausible for a referee (provided impartial) to send off for f$#@ off but not send off for f&$#@ing cheat. It is most likely the ref didn't hear the latter or they where siad with completely different demeanor/context or possibly both.

Purron4 said:
I said it was a bit harsh but didn't say it was wrong
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I hope this was said in a nice calm tone and in no way was to devalue the referee's services to the game. I doubt this type of approach actually achieves anything and better left out of the game.
Obviously if you were there to actually thank him for the game and threw that out as a bit of banter, then it's all a different story (perfect example of how context matters).
 
es1 said:
and being swayed by the reaction of a player a dangerous place to be
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I get you, totally - but in my own experience, unlike all but one other instance I can think of, player reaction to "potential OFFINABUS" is about as accurate a gauge as you're going to get for determining whether or not the red should come out, especially if you yourself (as the ref) aren't offended by it but believe it could still tick the box. Like you, I'm not in the habit of trying to find things that do btw. ;)

We both know that 99.9% of the time, these things are said on the field throughout the match and nobody bats an eyelid, but the player who visibly and audibly objects to anything resembling an insult or abuse and then sees you ignore it or not sanction it correctly would have more than a case for complaint. You've then also set the bar and potentially made a real rod for your own back.
 
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Simple rule of thumb for me, and I have see this many times. One player says something to another that can be deemed offensive. The second player turns to you to protest he is offended in whatsoever way he does, he is very unlikely to have actually been offended. The second player turns to the other player and acts in a way with no regards to the consequences of his actions, he is most likely offended.
 
one said:
Simple rule of thumb for me, and I have see this many times. One player says something to another that can be deemed offensive. The second player turns to you to protest he is offended in whatsoever way he does, he is very unlikely to have actually been offended. The second player turns to the other player and acts in a way with no regards to the consequences of his actions, he is most likely offended.
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On the other hand, here in England, none of us have psychology degrees (normally) and so we tend to go with what is seen and heard. ;) :p

Besides, the truth is that most players who are verbally insulted/abused by an opponent (or even a team mate) generally just respond in kind. :cool:
 
Kes said:
On the other hand, here in England, none of us have psychology degrees (normally) and so we tend to go with what is seen and heard. ;) :p
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Why "on the other hand"? you hear what is said. You see the reaction. You go by that to judge offensiveness.

Funny all this time I've been thinking you in England are the only ones with psychology degrees 🤣😃
 
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I have to say that I don’t do many youth games, but when I do, I make it abundantly clear that if someone is big enough to swear at someone, they are big enough to receive the consequences (teacher hat on!).

Of course, swearing in frustration or a slight slur can happen, but if they are being vile to someone else, I would send them.
 
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