The Ref Stop

Player urinating - what would you do?

The Ref Stop
I saw a similar incident to this somewhere else and emailed IFAB about it a couple of months ago, had a reply from David Elleray! He suggested that the 'sensitivity' of it would depend on what you do. If the player left the field of play without your permission then he should be cautioned for leaving the FOP without the permission of the referee. Alternatively, a misconduct report could be written explaining the situation. He said that a dismissal may be a little harsh but, if the player did it in sight of everyone, with little awareness of his surroundings, then a red card could be justified. However, if the player asked for your permission to leave the FOP to urinate, then as the referee, you should let him as it would be wrong to say no.
 
So if he literally 'had to go' (and hey, we've all been there!) what should the GK have done .. stood his ground and watered the goal area?!

I'd suggest that the empathetic thing for the officials to do is to pause the game (for a GK) or to allow outfield players to temporarily leave the FOP for as long as they need ...
 
I think if someone asks, it would depend on how long is left until half time or the end of the game, and the distance of the pitch from the changing rooms.

My Saturday league are very specific that any player urinating anywhere other than the "pavillion" must be reported to the league. So I would try and save them and their team hassle by asking them to wait.

If they leave the pitch without permission then they'll get a caution, if they whip the little chap out on the pitch then I'd be considering a red for I assume offinabus as people would find that offensive.
 
zarathustra said:
I think if someone asks, it would depend on how long is left until half time or the end of the game, and the distance of the pitch from the changing rooms.

My Saturday league are very specific that any player urinating anywhere other than the "pavillion" must be reported to the league. So I would try and save them and their team hassle by asking them to wait.
So agree with this, especially as most pitches(for me anyway) are parks with members of the public not far away.........

If they leave the pitch without permission then they'll get a caution, if they whip the little chap out on the pitch then I'd be considering a red for I assume offinabus as people would find that offensive.
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In the real world you have to be some sort of control freak to not allow a player to take a leak (in a secluded spot of course) should he ask,

Should he do it during a game and he's disappeared already then you have at leat one course of action available to you should you so wish to act! Its not something thats ever cropped up in my career so i'll not be losing sleep thinking, what if!!!
 
Very strange! I'm certainly aware of players excusing themselves to the nearest treeline pre-match or at half time when the "pavilion" is either a long way from the pitch or not properly equipped, and I've never thought to interfere in that. But a player asking to be excused mid-half is a very odd idea.

I think I'd be inclined to initially try and discourage him and I certainly wouldn't pause the game to allow it. But if the player is desperate enough to either get subbed off, or leave his team a man down for the duration, that's his call. Assuming he's made a reasonable effort to be private and didn't just bolt off without asking, I'm not sure you can justify a card within the LOTG - public indecency laws are another matter, but nothing to do with me in my capacity as a referee I don't think.
 
xPositor said:
Oldest looking "juniors" team I've ever seen.
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"Juniors" is an confusing term for a certain level of football in Scotland. It doesn't refer to youth, the term "junior" is used to differentiate it from "senior" league football (SPFL, Highland and Lowland Leagues). It sits somewhere between amateur and senior league football. It has a reputation for being tough, competitive and very passionate.
 
This is indeed an interesting LOTG question.If you click through he asks for permission to leave, doesn't get it, and then leaves the field anyway, jumps over a fence, and goes. Clearly should do a caution for leaving without permission...but the red in this case seems not to be justified in law - different if he did it on the field as you could get him a number of ways including safety/abandonment issues - but he seems to have avoided exposing himself to plays and fans by turning his back - suppose you could still call it offinabus but I wouldn't...and as others have said I would of given him permission to go at a stoppage and add the time. Cruel control freak to say no IMHO

Wonder what was submitted for the dismissal reason.
 
I dont see how offinabus applies here.

Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and / or gestures.

Taking a pee isnt a gesture so is it covered under this law? My personal feeling is no.

For me I think yellow for leaving fop without permission and an exceptional misconduct report for the action.
 
zarathustra said:
My Saturday league are very specific that any player urinating anywhere other than the "pavillion" must be reported to the league. So I would try and save them and their team hassle by asking them to wait.
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My feeling is that urinating in public during a football match is worthy of some sort of sanction whether yellow or red. If this is a requirement in your Saturday league what offence/code are you expected to caution for?
 
OIREF! said:
My feeling is that urinating in public during a football match is worthy of some sort of sanction whether yellow or red. If this is a requirement in your Saturday league what offence/code are you expected to caution for?
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Nothing, because it's a report to the league, not disciplinary action reported to the FA.

If a player left the FOP without permission to go a for a leak in the bushes he'd get a caution for that.

If he whipped his chap out in full view of everyone either on the pitch, or at the sidelines then I'd be considering a red for offinabus.

Luckily it's never come up in one of my games.
 
Adu Yussuf (Mansfield Town) got got 5 games and a £750 fine last March, for urinating against a floodlight pylon in full view of stewards.

Details on FA web site
 
PinnerPaul said:
Adu Yussuf (Mansfield Town) got got 5 games and a £750 fine last March, for urinating against a floodlight pylon in full view of stewards.

Details on FA web site
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What action, if any, did the referee take during the game?
 
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