The Ref Stop

OFFINABUS

R

Richthekeeper

Active Member
Here's one that happened to me yesterday...

Green v Maroon, a local derby in the quarter final of the cup, with Maroon winning 1-0 in about the 80th minute.

All of the actions is down the Green right, resulting in a succession of throw ins followed by a free kick to Maroon.

As I am looking towards the action, I hear the dreaded "Cheating c**t" shouted from behind me. As I turn I can only see the Green 15 and Maroon 11. Having officiated Green before I instinctively knew that Green 15 had said it. However I couldn't prove this, and also couldn't prove who it had been directed at.

I called Green 15 over and told him what I had heard, but didn't issue a card because I couldn't prove who had said it or to whom it was directed.

I didn't think it was aimed at me as I hadn't given any decisions which had been disputed, other than maybe a throw in which I wasn't sure which way it should go! If I'm honest I was also mindful of not wanting to ruin the game.

How do you feel this should have been handled?
 
The Ref Stop
I've had ones before where I've turned and there's two standing there and instinctively I know which one it was but I can't do a thing. As it's a local derby I can bet there's no differentiation in accents either which could reinforce your decision a bit more.
 
Richthekeeper said:
As I am looking towards the action, I hear the dreaded "Cheating c**t" shouted from behind me. As I turn I can only see the Green 15 and Maroon 11. Having officiated Green before I instinctively knew that Green 15 had said it. However I couldn't prove this, and also couldn't prove who it had been directed at.
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Just to clarify, the Law contains no reference about who the language is directed at it is simply an offence in itself to use Foul and Abusive language. Therefore even if this was directed at an opposition player it should still have resulted in a dismissal. That language is offensive to anyone irrespective of whether it is or is not directed at them. I take your point about not being able to prove who said it but if your previous experience allows you to know for definite that it was player X (through accent or voice etc) you should have sent him off.
 
I think you did the right thing. Thinking you know who said it is not good enough. You either saw who said it and act accordingly or you do what you did, a word of warning.

If you had sent him off and he had contested it, the statement of I didn't see who said it, but I am sure it was him would hold little water.
 
You don't have to prove it - you're not up in front of a jury! If you say that you know it was the green then that's enough to send him off. It doesn't matter at whom it was directed. If it were me I would have sent him off.
 
Southend-ref said:
You don't have to prove it - you're not up in front of a jury! If you say that you know it was the green then that's enough to send him off. It doesn't matter at whom it was directed. If it were me I would have sent him off.
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But the point Supermonkey is making is that you do have to know who said it, and if you don't know then if it was appealed, and you said I didn't see him say it but thought he did say it, your red most probably wouldn't stand :)
 
jojo said:
But the point Supermonkey is making is that you do have to know who said it, and if you don't know then if it was appealed, and you said I didn't see him say it but thought he did say it, your red most probably wouldn't stand :)
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I know you have to know who said it, which he says he did, but he says he couldn't prove it.
 
But if you are then called to a personal hearing, and they say 'Are you sure N.o 15 said that?' and you turn around and say 'No, I know he said it but I didn't see him say it' then chances are it wouldn't stand.
 
Perhaps next time, when approaching the player, you could try and catch him out by saying something like 'I am right in thinking you just said 'Cheating c***', yes? Unfortunately there isn't much I can do as I didn't see it'. He will probably admit to it in thinking he has escaped action, to which you can send him off. Or is this not allowed? ;)
 
That can be a useful tactic Owen but I would suggest a slightly altered approach. NEVER repeat the language as you are essentially repeating the offence.Secondly pose a vague question like 'Why did you say that?' and if he replies something along the lines of 'I'm sorry ref I just got a bit wound up' you've caught him!
 
You're absolutely right that you can't send him off if you aren't certain who said it - you could be penalising the wrong player just because he has done it in the past.

But you can be clever - I have had a similar incident in the past, where the two players behind me were both from the same team. Turn around, say "What did you say?" and predictably one of them replied with "Oh I didn't mean you ref" - and that's all the evidence I need.
 
Funnily enough I recalled this thread on the weekend.

I had already booked Maroon 6 for a reckless tackle, and warned him when committing a careless foul that he was on his final warning. He then went down easily in the corner with his team winning 4-3 in the final minutes of the game, and I told him to get up. As play continued, he shouted "f*** off [ref] you cheating c***".

[ref] in brackets because i KNOW he said the other words but i only THINK he said ref.

anyway, i gave him a straight ref for OFFINABUS.

After the game he apologised for his conduct and insisted that he "wasn't swearing at you ref, it was the Blue player i called a cheating c***!" I was pleased with his admission, and gently reminded him that it doesn't matter whether it was aimed at me or not!

(it was definitely aimed at me)
 
On a related note, I had a game today which the teams didn't turn up so I done the line for the game on an adjacent pitch. Level 5 ref, down from 4 due to injury and we had a chat before the game. He was telling me about last season how he had a level 5 NAR insist he send someone off for OFFINABUS for calling the AR a "****ing cheesey wotsit". Obviously the player showed enough restrain to call him something different, but can we really be OFFINABUS'ing players for "****ing cheesey wotsit"? Hahahahaha
 
Evan said:
On a related note, I had a game today which the teams didn't turn up so I done the line for the game on an adjacent pitch. Level 5 ref, down from 4 due to injury and we had a chat before the game. He was telling me about last season how he had a level 5 NAR insist he send someone off for OFFINABUS for calling the AR a "****ing cheesey wotsit". Obviously the player showed enough restrain to call him something different, but can we really be OFFINABUS'ing players for "****ing cheesey wotsit"? Hahahahaha
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Haha that's brilliant! I'd have definitely kept him on the pitch for the most stupid yet funny insult possible! Why would you even think to call someone a cheesy wotsit?? :D
 
I might find that insulting if I had red / ginger hair, tbh. Depending on context, distance, aggression, attitude of player, etc.
 
Grayson said:
I might find that insulting if I had red / ginger hair, tbh. Depending on context, distance, aggression, attitude of player, etc.
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That's a fair point actually, I hadn't really thought of that side of it. As long as it wasn't too aggressive or indeed insulting for somebody with ginger hair, I doubt I'd do much more than a yellow card.
 
I hate cheesy watsits, he calls me that and he's gone. Now a f@ckjng nick knack is fine with me!
 
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