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 Dir of Instruction |
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Guide for 4th Officials 2001
The NEW 2001 Guide for 4th Officials has just been released by the Federation. It is now available for download here.
Handout: Guide for 4th Officials 2001
Memorandum-Rescinding of cards for misconduct
Handout: Memorandum-Rescinding of cards for misconduct Jan.6,2003
Memorandum-Managing Match Time 3-4-03
Handout: Memorandum -Managing match Time 3-4-03
Clarification of Temporary Expulsions-2002 memorandum
The wording below is from the 2002 memorandum regarding temporary expulsions.
In this regard an interpretation has been elicited from USSF that leagues that have the rule where a player must be removed from the field after receiving a caution fall into this category.
Therefor,referees may no longer permit the substitution or temporary removal of a player who has received a caution unless it happens to be a normal substition time for that team. Leagues are being informed of this. Any questions, please contact Jeff DeLuca, SDI.
TEMPORARY EXPULSIONS
The Board strongly supports FIFA's concern that some national associations continue to use temporary expulsions in lower leagues. The Board confirmed in the strongest terms that this procedure must cease immediately, otherwise disciplinary sanctions will be applied against the offending federation.
USSF Advice to Referees: USSF has not authorized nor will authorize any state association or local league, competition, or tournament to adopt a "temporary expulsion" rule. The Laws of the Game may not be modified in this regard.
USSF Position Paper on Player Jersey Sleeves
This is the official position by USSF on the changes o LAw 4 in the 2002 Memorandum regarding Jersey sleeves for player uniforms.
Handout: Position paper -Law 4 Players Equipment-Jersey Sleeves(2002)
USSF Position Paper-Reduce to Equate-June,2002
Handout: Position paper-Reduce to Equate , June ,2002
Celebration of a Goal--New Directive
From the U.S. Soccer Communications CenterMarch 19, 2001 To:
State Directors of Referee Instruction
Celebration of Goals Date: March 19, 2001
The celebration of goals is a natural part of soccer and is not
ordinarily an occasion for misconduct by the successful team. To keep
such displays within reasonable limits, however, the practice in the past
has been to caution players who take off their jersey or who leave the
field to approach the spectator seats.
The International Board, at its recent meeting on March 10, 2001, has
indicated that automatically punishing such specific acts should be
discontinued. Instead, referees must look beyond the behavior of players
celebrating goals and consider as misconduct only those actions which are
provocative, obscene or insulting, or which unnecessarily delay the
restart of play.
Shinguards- Directive
From the U.S. Soccer Communications CenterMarch 21, 2001 To:
State Directors of Referee Instruction Re: Shinguards Date: March 20, 2001
Law 4 requires all players to wear shinguards which:
·are covered entirely by the stockings,
·are made of a suitable material, and
·provide a reasonable degree of protection.
These rather simple and direct statements seldom need further interpretation. Being covered entirely by the stockings means that the shinguards must be worn under the socks. Having the shinguards worn on top of the socks, even if the tops are rolled down over the shinguards, does not meet this requirement.
The suitable material is not specified but is presumed to be material which performs the cushioning and impact spreading function of shinguards.
A reasonable degree of protection means that the material is suitable for the purpose and that the size of the shinguard is appropriate for the age and size of the player.
Additionally, of course, as an article of player equipment, the shinguards must meet the general requirement of Law 4 that they not be dangerous to the wearer or to any other player.
In most cases, these requirements are adequately met by commercially manufactured shinguards and referees rarely need to perform any closer inspection. In any event, determining the legality of any article of player equipment under Law 4 is solely within the referees judgment in accordance with these guidelines.
Players temporarily off the field. Involvement of 4th offici
To: State Referee Administrators
State Directors of Referee Instruction
From: Alfred Kleinaitis
Manager of Referee Development and Education
Subject: Players Temporarily Off the Field
Involvement of Fourth Official
Date: April 23, 2001
The International Board (IFAB) has issued several directives which are to be implemented
immediately. Although these directives will be covered in the usual annual law changes
memorandum, officials in professional league matches must begin now to follow the
guidelines below regarding injuries, care of bleeding, correction of equipment problems,
and the role of the fourth official in these matters.
Players Temporarily Off the Field
The safety of players must always be the main priority of the referee when there is an
injury. Some injuries may be so serious that immediate removal from the field is not
possible. However, the resumption of play is an important consideration and, where
possible, referees should encourage the treatment of injuries off the field.
When a player has received permission to be temporarily off the field for the treatment of an
injury or has been directed by the referee to leave the field to correct illegal equipment,
bleeding, or blood on the uniform, the referee must be concerned both with allowing the
player to return to the field as soon as possible and with taking appropriate account
of time lost while play is stopped to assess an injury.
· Where the injury does not involve bleeding, the referee must:
· be aware of when the injured player is ready to return
· grant permission to enter the field as soon as possible without waiting for a
stoppage of play
· allow the player to enter the field from the touchline if play is continuing or
across any boundary line if play is stopped
· In cases of bleeding, blood on the uniform, or illegal equipment, the referee
must:
· be aware of when the player is ready to return
· grant permission to enter the field as soon as possible without waiting
for a stoppage of play
· be certain that the bleeding, blood on the uniform, or illegal equipment has
been corrected
· The full measure of time lost due to stoppage for an injury should be added
to the period of play.
As of this year and effective immediately, it is no longer required that the referee must
wait for a stoppage of play to indicate that a player can return to the field, provided that any
problem which caused the player to be off the field in the first place has been corrected.
The permission of the referee is still required.
Involvement of Fourth Official
As of this year and effective immediately (April 23, 2001), the referee has the option of
delegating to the fourth official the authority to evaluate whether the appropriate remedial
action has been taken, including the correction of equipment or bleeding situations, as a
means of expediting the return of the player to the field. If a fourth official has not been
appointed, the assistant referees may be given this authorization. In either case, the
referee no longer is required to perform personally the necessary inspection.
The involvement of the fourth official (or assistant referees) and permitting players to return
to the field during play after correcting a bleeding or illegal equipment problem are specific
changes in prior guidance and are now allowed as a means of minimizing the time a team
must play below its authorized number of players. The pre-game meeting must include
a discussion of how the referee, assistant referees, and fourth official will coordinate their
actions to achieve the above results. Referees must also review the general policies of
each of the professional leagues regarding injured players and incorporate the above
guidelines into these policies.
Feinting at the taking of a Penalty Kick 4/5/01
From: Alfred Kleinaitis
Manager of Referee Development and Education
Subject: Feinting at the Taking of a Penalty Kick
Date: April 5, 2001
The 115
th
Annual Meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) met on
March 10, 2001, and dealt with various matters, including its publication last year of a
revised Questions and Answers on the Laws of the Game. Question 10 under Law
14 reads:
A player taking a penalty kick feints before kicking the ball. Is this permitted?
Yes.
The International Board has reasoned that, since a penalty kick is awarded for a
violation which otherwise would cause play to be restarted with a direct free kick, the
team taking the kick should have at least some of the same latitude which is given for a
direct free kick restart. It is permissible to feint at the taking of a direct free kick
(Question 6 under Law 13 notes that "feinting tactics to confuse opponents" are
permitted and are "part of football").
Nevertheless, referees must still decide if any particular action by the kicker is clearly
unsporting. An example of this was seen recently in a pre-season MLS game. The
kicker ran past the ball, backed up, during which time various players (teammates and
opponents) entered the penalty area, the penalty arc, or moved closer than 12 yards
from the goal line, and the goalkeeper moved off the line. This sort of conduct, which
produced mass confusion, should be whistled immediately upon seeing the movement
past the ball, the kicker cautioned, and play resumed in accordance with Law 14.
The kicker should also be considered guilty of misconduct if his behavior before actually
kicking the ball results in unnecessary delay in restarting play (for example, by
excessively changing direction during the run to the ball). Where possible, this also
should be dealt with before the ball is kicked.
However, in situations where the manner of taking the kick is deemed unsporting but the
referee is unable to stop play before the kick occurs, the referee must follow Law 14 by
allowing the kick to proceed. If the ball goes into the goal, the penalty kick is retaken
after cautioning the kicker for unsporting behavior. If the ball does not enter the goal,
play continues and the kicker should be cautioned at the next stoppage of play.
Restarts after Striking, Throwing or Spitting (2001)
Restarts after Striking, Throwing or Spitting
Restarts for stoppages of play due to fouls and/or misconduct are normally
placed where the foul or misconduct occurred. Penalty kick restarts and restarts
inside the goal area are common exceptions to this principle. Determining where
the foul/misconduct occurred is relatively easy when direct player-to-player
contact (e. g., tripping, pushing, charging) or player-to-ball contact (deliberate
handling) is involved. It is the point of contact which determines the location of
the infringement and therefore the correct restart. The location of the rest of the
infringing player is irrelevant.
Problems can arise, however, when the foul/misconduct does not involve direct
contact. Law 12, for example, includes as penal fouls attempting to trip, kick, or
strike. Spitting is also a penal foul which does not require direct contact at all
(both attempts and successful acts are punished). Finally, striking can include
the use of thrown objects which, like spitting, may or may not be successful in
actually making contact with the victim.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has recently provided a new
interpretation of where a foul has occurred when there has been no direct contact
or when the contact has occurred off the field of play. Prior to now, for example,
striking using a thrown object was punished where the action originated (see
USSF Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 12.6, which will be updated
in 2001). The IFAB now instructs that all such infringements are to be punished
where the contact occurs or would have occurred if the action had been
successful, provided this location is on the field of play. The July 2000 version
of FIFAs Questions and Answers to the Laws of the Game incorporates this new
interpretation and referees in the United States should begin to implement this
guidance immediately.
The following six cases illustrate the International Board's interpretation on
restarts for striking, whether done with the hand or with an object. When reading
these cases, please remember that:
a. "objects" can be the ball, shoes, stones, dirt clods, etc.;
b. in all the cases covered in this memorandum, spitting should be treated as
striking, except that the referees match report must say that the player was
sent off for spitting at an opponent, not violent conduct;
c. if the ball was not in play when the striking took place, when the ball or an
object was thrown, or when a participant spat at an opponent or any other
person, the restart can be only for the reason that the ball was out of play.
The misconduct will be punished as indicated.
Handout: Restarts after Striking, Throwing or Spitting
Misconduct and Display of Cardsc August, 2002
New memorandum on Misconduct and Display of Cards, August, 2002
Handout: Misconduct and Display of Cards
Obiouus Goal Scoring Opportunity denied Sept,2002
The latest clarification on Denying an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity
Handout: Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity Denied-Sept, 2002
Taking of Kicks from the Penalty mark revises 10-04
Handout: Kicks from the penalty mark- revised 10-15-04
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