F.I.R.E.

The F-I-R-E Principle for Dealing with Above-the-Shoulder Challenges

Actions aimed at the face of an opponent must be dealt with severely REGARDLESS OF THE FORCE USED if the actions are:

• Deliberate
• Intended to intimidate
• Endangering the safety of an opponent
• Insulting and/or offensive in nature
• Potentially inciting further action on the part of opponents

The following lists some specific examples (but not all examples) of the manner in which the contact can be initiated are:

• Use of the backhand
• Open handed slap
• A push/slap to the face
• The jabbing of a finger(s) to the face
• Grabbing hair
• Use of a fist

To assist referees in recognizing and properly addressing these situations, the acronym F-I-R-E was provided to assist officials with the identification of elbows that should be defined as red card offenses (violent conduct):

• Frustration
• Intimidation
• Retaliation (payback)
• Establish Territory or Space

When applying the aforementioned examples, the use of force becomes increasingly important as it relates to contact with the back of the player’s head as the likelihood for injury is somewhat lessened as compared to contact with the face.  Consequently, some discretion may be exercised on the part of the referee as it relates to contact with the back of the head depending upon the intent and the force used.

Video Clip: New England at Real Salt Lake (19:53) 
This clip involves violent conduct as a result of a player striking an opponent by head butting him. The player uses his head (hard surface) to contact the opponent in a very vulnerable area (the soft surface of the face). In addition, the act falls under the guidelines provided above and in the “Contact Above the Shoulder” directive. The player’s actions are: deliberate, intended to intimidate, endanger the safety of the opponent, incite further action on the part of opponents and are executed in a provocative and inciteful manner. As a result, the player must be sent off for violent conduct.

Referees can attempt to take preventative actions when similar situations arise. Although the referee attempts to provide flow to the game by allowing play to continue as the goalkeeper gains clear possession of the ball (despite a bridging/tripping foul being committed by the attacker as the keeper goes up in the air to gather the ball), the referee must be cognizant of the actions that follow and their potential impact on the game. In this case, a quick whistle on the part of the referee to stop play as soon as the players go chest-to-chest would potentially prevent further action. Given the attacker’s immediate actions, the referee could stop the game and eventually restart with a free kick for the defense. The free kick could result from the tripping/bridging foul as advantage did not materialize or for unsporting behavior for bringing the game into disrepute (review the “Game Disrepute and Mass Confrontation” directive. This would require the referee to caution the attacker for unsporting behavior and restart with an indirect free kick. By taking either of these actions, the referee is using common sense and is using preventative techniques to manage/control the game.

Once the referee has stopped the game, he should immediately sprint to the area of the confrontation. The referee’s presence could act as a tool to prevent escalation of the situation. Upon quick arrival, the referee could separate or channel the players thereby defusing the situation.

Pursuant to U.S. Soccer directives and guidance, the attacker in this clip should be red carded for violent conduct.