Racist abuse

[Abeverley]

Hi all, incident below in a match I was playing in.
Thankfully , I’ve not come across this while reffing but I was wondering how it would be best approached.

“One of our players is called a nig**r from the side lines.
No one hears it but him (the ball has just gone out by the opposing team’s subs).
He starts going crazy.
Ref didn’t hear it.
Ref brought both players together and the guy who said it apologised.
No further on field action”

Our team have reported to the authorities etc but from the perspective of the ref, could he have sent the player off as he admitted saying it and apologised?
That would have calmed the situation massively as it could have easily escalated into a brawl.
I personally wouldn’t have got the two players anywhere near other, but thankfully it didn’t lead to any further unpleasantness.

 

[Mintyref]

Can't send off on a 'reported' case of racism....need to hear it myself for that action.....

 

[Abeverley]

Can't send off on a 'reported' case of racism....need to hear it myself for that action.....

Even if they admit it to you?

 

[alexv]

Even if they admit it to you?

As much as I’d like to, what if the player is just willing to take the (very big) punishment in order to protect the guilty player. I’ve always hoped to not have a case like this although racism is still unfortunately in the game

 

[Mintyref]

Even if they admit it to you?

Nope couldn't do it even then.......might make a report of it but no red card

 

[RustyRef]

Nope couldn't do it even then.......might make a report of it but no red card

There's no might, you must report it even if you didn't hear it and no one admitted to it. If a referee is made aware of any allegations of discriminatory comments or behaviour it must be reported, you just put in the report that you didn't hear it and let the authorities pick the bones out of it.

But for the game itself if you didn't hear it you can't do anything other than report it after.

 

[Big Cat]

There's no might, you must report it even if you didn't hear it and no one admitted to it. If a referee is made aware of any allegations of discriminatory comments or behaviour it must be reported, you just put in the report that you didn't hear it and let the authorities pick the bones out of it.

But for the game itself if you didn't hear it you can't do anything other than report it after.

I don't doubt that you're right, but not much point in rules that rules officials are not made aware of. We're ok, we have RefChat, but what about the masses?

 

[one]

So if you hear it but don't see which player said it. One admits saying it. Will you send him off?

 

[Ben448844]

So if you hear it but don't see which player said it. One admits saying it. Will you send him off?

Had exactly this happen in a friendly game not long ago (although it was over a reckless tackle not racism). The team are in a training kit with no numbers (yes I know but it's a friendly and they had nothing else). A reckless tackle occurs and I couldn't identify the offender, not could the AR who was close by. There were lots of bodies close by. I call the captain over in front of the manager and explain the situation, that is seen the offense but couldn't recognise the offender as there were no numbers on the shirts. I just calm everything down, everyone's happy. Then a lad walks over and admits that it was he that did the tackle. I just usher him away and said is dealt with the situation, my though process being that I hadn't seen who it was as the time and he could be admitting it to protect an unregistered player for example. If I don't see it I can't punish it directly. That's my explanation and everyone happy including opposition manager. In the changing room we had the discussion and one of the ARs said he'd have carded after the admission. It was a friendly disagreement about the situation but given the same issue again i still wouldn't card if I was unsure of the offender, even after he admits it.

 

[one]

For me if you can't prove it was someone else then the person admitting it, gets it. If admitting guilt is good enough in the court of the laws of the land, its good enough for the laws of the little land I am in charge of for 90 minutes.

And of course, if it results in a send off, the circumstances will be included in the report.

 

[Big Cat]

Just shout something like 'player, over hear', whilst looking in the general direction. The outcome depends on whether someone emerges

 

[alexv]

Just shout something like 'player, over hear', whilst looking in the general direction. The outcome depends on whether someone emerges

What if they say 'who'?

 

[Big Cat]

What if they say 'who'?

Then you're no worse off than you were. The right person will probably step forward. The wrong one will definitely not

 

[Abeverley]

There's no might, you must report it even if you didn't hear it and no one admitted to it. If a referee is made aware of any allegations of discriminatory comments or behaviour it must be reported, you just put in the report that you didn't hear it and let the authorities pick the bones out of it.

But for the game itself if you didn't hear it you can't do anything other than report it after.

Thanks for that.
If you hear it but aren’t sure who said it, and it is then admitted- would that be good to send off? It’s an odd situation I know but in this situation the red would have really calmed the situation.

 

[Ben448844]

Just shout something like 'player, over hear', whilst looking in the general direction. The outcome depends on whether someone emerges

That's the go to trick but there was an injury so I went there first.

 

[RustyRef]

Thanks for that.
If you hear it but aren’t sure who said it, and it is then admitted- would that be good to send off? It’s an odd situation I know but in this situation the red would have really calmed the situation.

No, not good enough to send off, but you report it after anyway.

 

[Redster]

Need to keep in mind that there are many reasons the player might be admitting to the offence, including doing so in order to keep the peace.

In the criminal sphere a bare admission is not enough for a charge to be laid, let alone for a person to be convicted, more is always needed. This is for the very reason that it is never clear exactly why a person might make an admission

 

[lincs22]

The FA have a page on their website

http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/policies/equality/reporting-discrimination

There is a set procedure. Where you made aware of this, you need to report to national FA; not your county FA. They take complete ownership of the case.

 

[RobOda]

For me if you can't prove it was someone else then the person admitting it, gets it. If admitting guilt is good enough in the court of the laws of the land, its good enough for the laws of the little land I am in charge of for 90 minutes.

And of course, if it results in a send off, the circumstances will be included in the report.

My RDO did that once apparently.

Someone headbutted a player behind him. He goes over to the player, who now has a broken nose and shouts "Which one of you did this?" and the idiot actually stepped forward. Straight red, off he goes.

 

[ARF]

The FA have a page on their website

http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/policies/equality/reporting-discrimination

There is a set procedure. Where you made aware of this, you need to report to national FA; not your county FA. They take complete ownership of the case.

No, report it to your County FA (or, if different, the County FA of the club responsible). While all anti-discrimination cases are heard by commissions appointed by The FA, all the investigating is done by the County FA.