From The Referees Desk...
Commonly Misunderstood Referee Calls:
There are some soccer laws that are not well understood, especially if you're new to soccer. The following are explanations for the most commonly misunderstood laws. In any case, Law 5 Paragraph 2 states, "Decisions will be made to the best of the referee’s ability according to the Laws of the Game and the ‘Spirit of the Game’ and will be based on the opinion of the referee, who has the discretion to take appropriate action within the framework of The Laws of the Game."
For more information on The Laws of the Game please visit: TheIFAB.com
Law 4- Player’s Equipment:
> Shin guards MUST be worn and MUST be worn behind the socks.
> NO jewelry of any kind is allowed. Using tape or band-aid to cover jewelry IS NOT permitted.
(With the exception of Medic Alert, which should be taped safely to the player.)
> Hoods are to be tucked into the players shirt. Stocking caps shouldn’t have hanging parts that could
cause any safety concerns to themselves or other players.
> No casts are allowed even if wrapped. All braces must be clear of open hinges and bare metal. Referee checked.
Law 5- The Referee and Law 6- Other Match Officials:
> Each match is controlled by a referee and 2 assistant referees who have full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match and in the Spirit of the Game. The Referees decisions are final and shouldn’t be argued.
> All AYSO Referees are volunteers, trained and certified for the match they are officiating.
> ADVANTAGE- The advantage rule is when the referee allows play to go on despite a minor foul, when it's to the advantage of the team in possession. This is
sometimes confused with the referee “missing a foul”.
An example would be where a defender pushes an attacking player who then falls, but the attacking team keeps the ball and is in position to score. Calling the foul
would actually hurt the attacking team.
Law 9- Ball in and out of Play:
> The ball is out of play when:
~ the whole of the ball has passed over the whole goal line or touchline on the ground or in the air or;
~ play has been stopped by the referee.
> The ball is in play at all other times, including when it rebounds off a goalpost, crossbar or corner flag post and remains in the field of play.
> It is the position of the ball, and not that of the player, which determines when the ball is out of play. This concept is somewhat foreign since the reverse is
true in other popular sports such as football and basketball. It is also sometimes difficult to resist the temptation to think that the ball is out of play when it touches
a goal line or touch line but we need to remember that the entire ball must cross over the entire line before it is out of play.
> The ball is out of bounds on the person it touches last, NOT the last person to touch the ball. The throw in goes to the opposing team.
Law 11- Offside: (Also need to remember that it’s “Offside” not “Offsides”)
> This is a hard to understand law as it involves multiple parts.
> OFFSIDE POSITION and OFFSIDE are not the same. It is NOT against the law to be in an offside position. It is against the law to be offside.
> OFFSIDE POSITION- A player IS in an offside position if:
~ the player is in the opponents' half of the field and;
~ the player is closer to the opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second to last opponent.
> A player is NOT in an offside position if the player is:
~ in his or her own half of the field of play, or
~ even with or behind the ball, or
~ even with or behind the second-to-last opponent, or the last two opponents.
> OFFSIDE- With certain exceptions, a player in an offside position becomes offside if: (in the opinion of the referee)
at the moment the ball is touched or is played by a teammate, the player is involved in active play by:
~ interfering with play, or
~ interfering with an opponent, or
~ gaining an advantage by being in an offside position
> EXCEPTIONS- Although in an offside position, a player is NOT offside if the player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick.
> The position of the player at the moment the ball is played by a teammate determines whether the player may be called offside.
* For example, a player positioned onside at the moment the ball is played by a teammate does not become offside by running to an offside position while
the ball is in flight.
> An Indirect Free Kick will be awarded if a player is found to have broke the Offside Law.
Law 12- Fouls and Misconduct:
> HANDBALL is when, in the referee's judgment, a player uses his/her arms deliberately intending to control the
ball or has placed his/her arms up where contact with the ball is likely. The key word is deliberate.
~ ‘Hand’ includes all of the arm from the fingertips to the bottom of the players armpit.
~ Does not apply to the goalkeeper in their own penalty area.
~ Instinctive, self-protection reactions are not penalized in younger players.
~ Accidental contact, the ball striking hand or arm so long as the arm is not in an out reached position, is not an offense, even if a benefit is realized.
> A DFK (Direct Free Kick) is awarded to the opposing team when a handball foul is committed.
> SHOULDER TACKLE: (Charging)
Soccer is a contact sport and sometimes physical contact is specifically allowed. A shoulder tackle is where two opposing players are running near a
playable ball and one uses shoulder-to-shoulder contact to push the opponent off the ball. This is a non-reckless "fair charge" and perfectly legal.
> Slide tackling is only allowed in 12U and up. Heading is only allowed in 14U and up.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out
Carey Christopher
Area Director 8D
Regional Referee Administrator 8/D/1289
Area Referee Administrator 8/D
[email protected]