Referee
A referee is
responsible for monitoring the match and making sure fair play rules are
followed. Their role includes ensuring that the players behave themselves,
calling fouls (when they occur), awarding penalties if necessary, and keeping
order in the stands. A referee's job is to make sure everything runs smoothly
while maintaining good sportsmanship between teams.
Goal line official
The goal line
official watches over the goal posts to ensure no player crosses them. He
signals a penalty if he sees any infringement of the rule. If a ball goes out
of bounds, the official points to the spot where it went out of bounds. If a
player commits a foul inside his team’s half of the field, the referee blows
his whistle and instructs the opposing team’s goalkeeper to throw the ball
underarm along the ground instead of throwing it above head height.
Assistant Referees
Assistants are often
present at football matches to help their colleagues who may not have enough
time to do the job properly. They watch the game closely and offer advice when
asked. Assistants can even help referees with decisions they cannot decide on themselves.
Occasionally, assistants are assigned to stand near the sidelines and mark down
the numbers of goals scored in each half.
Touch judges
Touch judges watch
for diving and check for handballs when the ball hits the ground. They also
keep scorers informed about any goals scored during the course of the game so
that they know how many points each team has earned. Touch judges also ensure
that the referee does not miss any infringements.
Video Assistant Referee
Video assistant
referees are experts in spotting fouls and sending off players. They use video
technology to assist referees and help them identify whether a player was
fouled or handled the ball before it crossed the touchline. VARs are now used
in some high-profile competitions, including UEFA Champions League and FIFA
World Cup qualifiers.
Pitch officials
Pitch officials are
responsible for checking the condition of the pitch, the weather conditions,
and the state of play. They ensure that the surface is safe and playable, and that
spectators stay away from dangerous objects. In addition to that, they inspect
the dressing rooms and coaches' boxes after each half to make sure nobody
tampers with the playing area.
Why referees are appointed?
Referees are chosen
because they have a good knowledge of the rules which helps them to know what
to do if any rule violation happens. Also, their authority and power help them
to control the situation and ensure all the players obey the rules.
Is football match without refereeing boring?
Some people say yes
but others disagree. In fact, refereeing is not as simple as many people think
it is. There are hundreds of rules involved in football matches and each team
has its own strategy to win. If referees don't enforce the rules properly, then
the result might be a draw instead of victory.
Can we play football with no referees?
Football is played by
two teams at once on a field divided equally into two halves. Each half
consists of 25 players except goalkeepers. In order to score a goal, a player
kicks the ball with his foot over the opponent's goal line. When the ball hits
the goal line, it counts as a goal.
Do the referees always get the right decision?
Although referees
always try their best, sometimes the decisions they make are wrong. Sometimes,
the referees misinterpret the rules and make mistakes. This causes confusion
among both fans and players.
How referee controls match?
When football comes
on the screen, fans become excited and start cheering. When the ball is kicked,
they shout 'Goal!' and clap their hands. That's what we call 'football'. In
order to keep everyone interested in the game, football referees play a big
role in keeping spectators enthusiastic and making the game fair.
Referees control
matches by calling fouls and awarding penalties. Once the referee sees a foul,
he touches the ball with his hand and signals the team who committed the foul.
If the player is not able to stop the ball immediately after receiving the
signal, then the referee awards the penalty.
In order to prevent
injuries, referees wear special protective gear. They use whistles to warn
players about dangerous situations and make sure they don't get hurt.
What happens if I make mistake while refereeing?
If you make mistakes
while officiating, you could lose your job! You may face disciplinary action
and even suspension. FIFA (the world governing body of soccer) has a code of
conduct that governs how referees must behave.
You should try to
correct any errors before they occur. Make sure you do not enter the field of
play, especially near goal line. Keep your eyes on the ball at all time. Avoid
pushing players and avoid talking in the middle of the field. Always give clear
signals.
Why is it necessary to have referee in football match?
Football is the only
sport where you need a referee to maintain fairness. There is no rule book in
football. Players decide the rules. So, if someone breaks the rules, the
referee decides whether that person deserves a yellow card or red card. He has
to ensure that the game runs smoothly. It is unfair if some players feel that
some others are cheating them. A referee makes sure that both teams follow the
same set of rules.
Who picks the referees?
The UEFA (Union of
European Football Associations), the European governing body of football,
chooses the referees. Each country may choose its own officials, but those
chosen by UEFA are among the best in the world. The referees' decision-making
ability is tested yearly at the Men's World Cup.
The World Cup consists
of two groups: A group of twelve countries, and B group consisting of four
countries. Ten of these countries qualify automatically and eight countries
qualify based on rankings in previous tournaments.
After the first round
of matches, the top teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals. After
the quarterfinal, the winners from Group A and the runners-up from Group B
advance to the semifinals. The semifinalists meet in the final, and the winner
qualifies for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Referee stands alone at the middle of the pitch. He/she has
the responsibility to make sure that rules are followed and no foul play takes
place. He/She should have a good sense of fairplay and know when the game is
over. In football matches, he/she has to ensure that the players are not
injured during the match and keep track of any infractions that take place
during the game. If someone breaks a rule, then the referee has the power to
punish them using his whistle. A ref could call a penalty kick even if the ball
landed outside the goal line. He/she may award a free kick to either team
depending on how many minutes are left in the match. If there were only two
minutes left in the match, the ref would blow the whistle to stop the clock.
However, if there was 5 minutes left in the match and a player received a red
card, he/she could still play the last minute since the red card does not count
in terms of time. But once there were 10 minutes left, he/she would have to
stop the game and throw out the player who got the red card.
The referee of any football match takes charge of the game
and ensures fair play. A referee should always be neutral. He/she does not take
sides or become involved in the contest between two teams. However, he/she may
give time-outs, award goals, or disallow them. In addition, he/she may show
yellow cards (warning) or red cards (suspension).
Questions:
- What is the role of referee?
- What is the difference between the roles of referee and umpire?
- Who gives the first warning?
- Who shows the yellow card first?
- Who gives the second warning?
Refereeing is the primary function of a referee in a
football match. A referee may only have been appointed for a particular match
or tournament if they meet certain requirements set out by FIFA (Fédération
Internationale de Football Association) and/or UEFA (Union Européenne de
Football). These rules are primarily concerned with ensuring a fair competition
between teams regardless of their respective nationalities. In addition to
these rules, referees are expected to act impartially throughout each game.
There are three categories of referee; assistant referees, fourth official and
third official. Each category is given specific roles within the match and the
decisions that they are allowed to make, although some decisions can be
delegated to lower officials.
Assistant referees
are responsible for monitoring play and keeping track of statistics. They are
permitted to blow the whistle at any time, but should not question the
decision-making of the field umpires unless requested to do so by the referee.
An assistant referee's role often overlaps with that of the fourth official,
who cannot directly interact with players but generally gives advice to the
assistant refs. However, assistants are able to consult with the fourth
official about a potential infringement.
The fourth official
is responsible for making sure the laws of the game are being followed
correctly. He or she makes decisions on whether the ball has gone over the
touchline, whether a player or goalkeeper has committed a foul, or whether a
goal was scored or disallowed. Fourth officials are not permitted to give
direct orders to either team, but they may instruct the referee to take
disciplinary action according to the playing conditions. After consultation
with his colleagues, the referee then decides what action he wishes to take.
Third officials are
responsible for stopping the clock at specified moments, recording the scores,
and issuing warnings to the two teams. He may also award penalties and send
offs.
As well as the above
mentioned officials, there are also several others whose role is to assist the
referee in adjudicating different types of incidents. Examples include the
video assistant referee (VAR), who may be consulted when the outcome is
uncertain after a goal has been scored or disallowed, and the linesman, who
checks for breaches of the Laws of the Game.
The referee's job is to oversee the game and make sure the
rules are followed. Their role is not only about enforcing the rules, but also
ensuring fair play between both teams. When they call for penalties or other
fouls, they have a duty to ensure that players do not escape punishment. Their
decisions are final and cannot be appealed. But referees' decisions aren't
always right! So what should you look out for? Let's take a closer look at the
role of refs...
What To Look Out For?
There are several
things that referees need to consider before making their decision. These
include the following:
- Is the player/team committing a deliberate act? Deliberate means intentional. Even if you think he was just being stupid or careless, if you're certain that he intended to do something wrong then he has committed a deliberate offence.
- Does the penalty fit the crime? If you think the offense warrants a red card or worse, then go ahead and give it. However, if you don't think the foul is serious enough to warrant a sending off, don't apply the rule! A lot of football fans get upset over incorrect application of these rules, so use extreme caution when deciding whether to send someone off.
- How much time does the player have left on his suspension? You could choose to suspend him for two games, but if he's already been sent off, you might find yourself stuck with three games instead of two.
- Do you agree with the other referee(s)? Perhaps you'd rather let the other officials decide. In this case, you won't have any say in the matter. Just hope they don't make mistakes!
- Are the players/teams arguing with each other? This is a dangerous situation. Arguing on the pitch is strictly forbidden. If you're unsure about who to punish for a particular incident, ask the team captains or managers. They should know the rules and be able to tell you which player/players were involved.
Penalties & Red Cards
Penalty kicks (also
known as direct free kicks) are given to players who commit deliberate
offences, including diving, tripping, fouling an opponent deliberately,
spitting at an opponent, using insulting words towards an opponent, throwing of
objects onto the pitch and handling the ball outside the area.
If a player commits a
second offence, he may receive a yellow card. If the offence causes injury, a
red card is shown. If the player continues after receiving a red card, he will
be ejected from the match. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Red cards are given
to players for violent conduct, dissent, refusal to leave the field of play and
serious foul play. Players may be booked for violent conduct, dissent or
serious foul play, although only the last of these results in a red card.
Referees may stop the
game temporarily to investigate a potential infringement (whereby a player uses
his hands or arms offensively). Once the investigation has taken place, the
referee makes a ruling; either awarding the player a yellow card or showing the
player a red card.
Yellow cards are
issued for minor infringements where a player protests verbally or throws the
ball away without trying to play it. Yellow cards result in a free kick awarded
to the opposing team.
