A&H

VC v OFFINABUS

R

Refollie

Active Member
Level 5 Referee
Had the misfortune of refereeing a team who were out to get me from minute 1 today.

Player from said team commits a reckless challenge on the outside of his penalty area and I award the free kick thinking I’m going to hand out a yellow. He then charges at me while yelling (incoherent) and has to be physically restrained by three of his team mates to stop him getting to me.

Once matters calmed down a touch, I sent him off, at the time thinking this fell under violent conduct as I genuinely felt threatened and thought he was going to attack me. I’m now wondering whether this more falls under OFFINABUS for abusive actions as who knows what his intentions were. Either way, he wasn’t staying on the pitch after that.

Think I’m just needlessly doubting myself and it’s best put down under VC but interested in any thoughts.
 
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If the player hasn’t actually committed or attempted commit an act of violent conduct then I’d be going OFFINABUS as the actions are clearly abusive.
I’d also accompany this with an extraordinary misconduct report to give your county fa the correct context to the incident. Ensuring that you use the terminology “threatened, intimidated etc”.
This give them the ammo to raise the correct charge and ensure the participant is punished adequately.

Opting for a double yellow would actually reduce the punishment for this player!
 
I agree that OFFINABUS ticks boxes and that a supplementary misconduct report should go in.

An abusive action which led to you feeling threatened and in danger of physical attack.

Intimidating behaviour comes under a general ‘umbrella’ of different types of abuse, but more importantly, I don’t think fear of violence can constitute ‘violent conduct’.

It may also be worth contacting your Referee Development Officer at county to discuss as (s)he may be able to assist with correct wording etc.

Well done for sanctioning it either way - behaviour like this is a cancer of the sport.
 
If you read the definition of violent conduct, I think you'll find there has to be an act of or an attempt at brutality/excessive force.
Doesn't seem like that here so it's red for offinabus, or we ding them a double yellow.
 
JamesL said:
If you read the definition of violent conduct, I think you'll find there has to be an act of or an attempt at brutality/excessive force.
Doesn't seem like that here so it's red for offinabus, or we ding them a double yellow.
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Not a chance I’m letting some idiot get away with 2x yellows after this.
I would almost bet my mortgage that during his outburst he’s used some language that falls within OFFINABUS.
Along with the actions that almost certainly are going to be abusive.

You wanna threaten me pal then you can face the relevant sanction! 😂
 
Will_A said:
Not a chance I’m letting some idiot get away with 2x yellows after this.
I would almost bet my mortgage that during his outburst he’s used some language that falls within OFFINABUS.
Along with the actions that almost certainly are going to be abusive.

You wanna threaten me pal then you can face the relevant sanction! 😂
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I'm with you. But laying out all the options available.
 
JamesL said:
If you read the definition of violent conduct, I think you'll find there has to be an act of or an attempt at brutality/excessive force.
Doesn't seem like that here so it's red for offinabus, or we ding them a double yellow.
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Yeah it’s one of those ones that depends how literally you take the word attempt. He was trying to charge at me, what he would have done next is unclear. Either way, two yellows seems too soft so it’s gone through as OFFINABUS. Thanks for everyone’s input
 
Will_A said:
Not a chance I’m letting some idiot get away with 2x yellows after this.
I would almost bet my mortgage that during his outburst he’s used some language that falls within OFFINABUS.
Along with the actions that almost certainly are going to be abusive.

You wanna threaten me pal then you can face the relevant sanction! 😂
Click to expand...
Yes, yes, yes.

It does beg the question as to whether there should be a caveat put into the laws that threatening behaviour towards an official should come under something specific like ‘spitting’ etc.

Or: OFFINTHRABUS! What a mouthful!
 
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More likely OFFINABUS as already discussed but either or ticks the box for me.

Based on the OP's description of events, ie the player having to be restrained, in any other scenario, the police would deem that "threatening behaviour" which is viewed in the same way as assault (pretty much). In the grand scheme of things, just because it's on a football field wouldn't change that for me.

Acting in a way that caused a referee to feel that he was about to be attacked could easily be construed (IMO) as VC. :)
 
Kes said:
Acting in a way that caused a referee to feel that he was about to be attacked could easily be construed (IMO) as VC.
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I still think VC is a bit of a stretch. As @JamesL mentioned, it doesn't really quite fit the definition. The law says that:

Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality ...
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The description here sounds as if the player might have been going to to use or attempt using excessive force but we can't be sure of that - for all we know he might have simply been going to continue advancing and yelling in a threatening manner, without ever attempting (or using) violence.

So I'm good with OFFINABUS also.
 
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I would report it as OFFINABUS but also do an extraordinary report saying that he charged at you and had to be restrained, and that you were afraid for your safety. That should as minimum lead to a charge of threatening behaviour towards a match official, or possibly attempted physical contact.
 
RustyRef said:
I would report it as OFFINABUS but also do an extraordinary report saying that he charged at you and had to be restrained, and that you were afraid for your safety. That should as minimum lead to a charge of threatening behaviour towards a match official, or possibly attempted physical contact.
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Yeah I’ve gone for this. Interestingly my county has just announced yesterday a new ‘pledge’ against abusive behaviour. Hope that means tougher actions too.
 
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