'How long ref' not worthy of a 50-metre penalty - FRC

The FRC has issued guidelines regarding some of the new football rules and clarified that players shouting ‘how long ref?’ does not warrant a 50-metre penalty for dissent.

The incident arose in many of the games in Westmeath over the course of last weekend and players were being punished for shouting at the referee, leading to certain scores for the opposition.

Of course referees can inform players not to shout ‘how long ref’ (a regular shout claiming an opponent has overcarried the ball) and if this was not taken on board and the shouting continued, it could be considered challenging the authority of the referee for which a yellow card exists.

For the solo and go, players may carry the ball for four metres after being fouled before the take a solo. There was some confusion regarding this aspect of the rule with players and coaches wondering if you need to take a solo before you run those initial four metres and this has been clarified.

Clubs will welcome the clarification ahead of round two of the All County Football Leagues in Westmeath this weekend.

There were other guidelines issued by the FRC via the national match officials manager Donal Smyth, including:

SOLO & GO

(i) The ball is spilled/ fumbled by a player in the act of taking a toe-tap for the purposes of starting a solo & go - the solo & go is cancelled and a free kick is taken from the original position of the foul. A subsequent solo & go may not be taken.

(ii). When taking a solo & go a player must take the toe-tap within 4m of the position of the original foul. A player is allowed to carry the ball up to this 4m point and the toe tap must be completed before he reaches this point i.e. 4m from where the foul occurred. The player cannot be challenged for 4m beyond the point of where he took 1the toe-tap, for the purpose of starting a solo & go.

(iii). If the player takes a toe-tap to start a solo & go beyond 4m where the foul occurred - it is a ‘hop ball’ as this is a breach of Rule 4.24 (a) “To advance the ball deliberately from the place at which a free kick or sideline kick is to be taken. Penalty: Cancel the Free kick and Throw in the ball

HANDING BACK THE BALL

• In the situation where a player takes possession of the ball after a foul has occurred but is not on the team of the player awarded the free kick - where the player in possession of the ball is not in the immediate vicinity of an opposition player/or the player fouled, for the purposes of not delaying his opponent taking a free kick, he may pass the ball to a teammate who will in turn “hand over the ball” to the nearest opposition player, or the player fouled.

• Example: A goalkeeper standing on his goal line caught the ball after it was kicked in from distance by the opposition. The referee then called the ball back for a free - if there was no opposition player beside him, the goalkeeper may pass the ball back out the field to a teammate, who can then “hand over the ball” to the nearest opposition players or the player fouled (rather than the goalkeeper having to leave his goal line and travel out the field to hand over the ball).

PLAY ON IMMEDIATELY – Advanced Mark

Rule 2.12 – has been amended by Motion as follows:

“If the referee deems that a clear advantage has accrued to the team of the player awarded the Mark, the advantage ends and the referee will indicate that by saying “advantage over”, lowering their arm and allowing play to continue as normal”.

• If a point or goal is scored from the ‘Play on immediately – Advanced Mark’ regardless of the score, it will be considered that the advantage is over.

DISSENT

Examples of players calling “Steps ref”, “How long ref” or “Pick up ref” do not warrant a 50m advancement of the ball.

Players

The penalty for the foul described in Rule 6 - Dissent - Rule 6.4 (i.e. “To show dissent with the Referee’s decision to award a free kick to the opposing team”) The free kick already awarded shall be taken from a place 50m more advantageous than the place of original kick, up to the13m line. If the ball is advanced inside the 40m, the team awarded the free kick may choose to take it outside the 40m arc.

Managers/ Team Officials

It is not in rule to advance the ball 50m if a Team Officials shows dissent with Rule 6.4 i.e. “To show dissent with the Referee’s decision to award a free kick to the opposing team”, as Dissent Rule 6.4 is only for players.

However, what is in rule is if a Team Official receives a Yellow or Red Card (for committing any of the five categories of infractions in Rule 5 – Rules of Control - Misconduct at Games) a free kick is awarded on the offending team’s 13m line. This includes a Yellow Card for challenging the authority of a Match Official; or a Red Card for using abusive language to a Match Official. The team awarded the 13m free kick have the option to take the free kick outside the 40m arc. Note: Selectors, Medical staff, Maor Uisce etc. are considered Team Officials.

TIME WASTING

Free Kick

• For the purposes players deliberately time wasting when taking a free kick, as a guideline a delay of over 20 seconds from when the free is awarded until the ball is kicked, may be considered an infraction of the relevant rules

Kickout

• As a guideline 20 seconds should be used as a reference from the moment the referee blows their whistle to signal a score or wide until the ball is kicked out.

GOALKEEPER

• If a team has a goalkeeper sent off for a Black or Red Card, he must be replaced i.e. a team must always have a goalkeeper on the field of play (the exception is if the goalkeeper is off the field receiving treatment for an injury).