The Pre-Game Conference

USSF Guide to Procedures: The Pre-Game Conference
Richard's Pre-Game

Managing Injuries - VIDEO

 

 

 

 

Laws of the Game: Managing Injuries - Law 5

Cautionable and Sending-Off Offenses (New)

U.S. Soccer Federation Referee Program

Report Codes for Cautionable and Sending-Off Offenses

Updated September 2012

7 Cautionable Offenses
 
Cautionable offenses require that a player, substitute or substituted player be shown a yellow card.

A player is cautioned for committing any of the following seven offenses:

 

1. Unsporting behavior (UB)

• Commits a direct free kick foul in a reckless manner (charging, pushing, tripping)

• Commits a direct free kick foul in a reckless manner while tackling for the ball from any direction

• Commits a tactical foul designed to interfere with or impede an opposing team’s attacking play (pushing an opponent, blatantly holding an opponent or an opponent's uniform, handling the ball deliberately)

• Handles the ball deliberately to score a goal

• Commits an act which, in the opinion of the referee, shows a lack of respect for the game (aggressive attitude, inflammatory behavior, or taunting)

• Fakes an injury or exaggerates the seriousness of an injury

• Fakes a foul (dives) or exaggerates the severity of a foul

• Interferes with or prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from the hands into play

• Verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart

• Unfairly distracts or impedes an opponent performing a throw-in

• Changes jerseys with the goalkeeper during play or without the referee's permission (both players must be cautioned)

• Engages in trickery to circumvent the goalkeeper's limitation on handling the ball played from a teammate's foot (the defender who initiates the "trickery" is cautioned, the decision does not require that the goalkeeper actually handles the ball, and the misconduct can occur during dynamic play or at a restart)

• Makes unauthorized marks on the field

• Removes the jersey or covers the face with a mask or similar device after scoring a goal

• Uses an artificial aid to unfairly assist play (leaning on the shoulders of a teammate, using

an article of clothing to avoid direct contact with the ball, moving or removing a corner flag,

hanging on a crossbar)

• Uses tobacco or tobacco products in any form in the area of the field

• At a penalty kick, feints to kick the ball once the run-up to the ball has been completed

• (New) Participates in an orchestrated pattern of fouls directed at one or more opponents 

2. Dissent by word or action (DT)
• Verbally or through action disputes or shows contempt for an official’s decision

• If playing as a goalkeeper, leaves the penalty area (not beckoned by the referee) to engage an official in debate regarding a decision

3. Persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game (PI)

• Repeatedly commits fouls
• Violates Law 14 again, having previously been warned

• If playing as goalkeeper, wastes time, having previously been warned or penalized for this behavior

4. Delaying the restart of play (DR)

• Kicks or throws the ball away or holds the ball to prevent a free kick restart by an opponent

• Kicks or throws the ball away or holds the ball to prevent a throw-in or corner kick by an opponent

• Fails to restart play after being instructed to do so by the referee or hinders the restart of play

• Excessively celebrates a goal

• Fails to return to the field upon conclusion of the midgame break, fails to perform a kick-off when signaled to do so by the referee, or fails to be in a correct position for a kick-off

• Provokes a confrontation by deliberately taking possession of a ball which is to be put back into play by the opposing team

5. Failure to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in (FRD)

• Does not retire at least ten yards away from an opponent’s free kick

• Does not retire at least ten yards away from an opponent’s corner kick

• Does not retire at least two yards away from an opponent's throw-in

6. Entering or re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission (E)

• After having previously been instructed to leave the field to correct equipment

• After having previously been given permission by the referee to leave the field due to an injury

• After having previously been instructed to leave the field due to bleeding or blood on the uniform
 

7. Deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission (L)

• To place an opponent in an apparent offside position

• Other than through the normal course of play

A substitute or substituted player is cautioned for committing any of the following three offences: 
1. Unsporting behavior (UB)

2. Dissent by word or action (DT)

3. Delaying the restart of play (DR)

 

Only a player can be cautioned for illegally entering the field (E) so if a substitute or substituted player enters the field without the permission of the referee, the caution should be issued for unsporting behavior (UB).

7 Sending-Off Offenses
Sending-off offenses require that a player, substitute or substituted player be shown a red card.
A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off for committing any of the following seven

offenses:  

1. Serious foul play (SFP)

2. Violent conduct (VC) 

3. Spitting at an opponent or any other person (S)
4. Denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to the goalkeeper within his or her  own penalty area)(DGH)
5. Denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick (DGF)
6. Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures (AL)
7. Receiving a second caution in the same match (2CT)

Although the Laws of the Game state that all seven sending-off offenses may be committed by a substitute or substituted player, U.S. Soccer recommends that any violent act committed by a substitute or substituted player be categorized as violent conduct (VC) in the match report.

USSF Official Paper click here.

Law 15: The Throw-in

A throw-in is a method of restarting play.
A throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball when the whole of the ball crosses the touch line, either on the ground or in the air.
A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.

Procedure

At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower:
• faces the field of play
• has part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground outside the touch line
• holds the ball with both hands
• delivers the ball from behind and over his head
• delivers the ball from the point where it left the field of play

All opponents must stand no less than 2 m (2 yds) from the point at which the throw-in is taken.
 

The ball is in play when it enters the field of play.

After delivering the ball, the thrower must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player.

Infringements and sanctions 

Throw-in taken by a player other than the goalkeeper
If, after the ball is in play, the thrower touches the ball again (except with his hands) before it has touched another player:
 • an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred (see Law 13 – Position of free kick)

If, after the ball is in play, the thrower deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
• a direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred (see Law 13 – Position of free kick)
• a penalty kick is awarded if the infringement occurred inside the thrower’s penalty area 


Throw-in taken by the goalkeeper 
If, after the ball is in play, the goalkeeper touches the ball again (except with his hands), before it has touched another player:
• an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred (see Law 13 – Position of free kick)

If, after the ball is in play, the goalkeeper deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
• a direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if the infringement occurred outside the goalkeeper’s penalty area, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred (see Law 13 – Position of free kick)
• an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if the infringement occurred inside the goalkeeper’s penalty area, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred (see Law 13 – Position of free kick)

If an opponent unfairly distracts or impedes the thrower:
• he is cautioned for unsporting behaviour

For any other infringement of this Law: 

 • the throw-in is taken by a player of the opposing team