Referees Corner
By Rakesh Verman
Fiji FA Referees Director
Laws of the Game 2019/20
There are 17 laws in a game of football which referees enforce to create fair and safe environment for players and same time promote participation and enjoyment in the game.
Know these laws:
01 The Field of Play 02 The Ball 03 The Players
04 The Players’ Equipment 05 The Referee
06 The Other Match Officials 07 The Duration of the Match
08 The Start and Restart of Play 09 The Ball In and Out of Play
10 Determining the Outcome of a Match 11 Offside
12 Fouls and Misconduct 13 Free Kicks 14 The Penalty Kick
15 The Throw-in 16 The Goal Kick 17 The Corner Kick
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Recently lot has been said about Denying Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunities(DOGSO), Hand Ball Considerations and Drop ball.
Instructors and referee educators help match officials so that
• referees should apply the Laws within the ‘spirit’ of the game to help
produce fair and safe matches
• everyone must respect the match officials and their decisions, remembering
and respecting that referees are human and will make mistakes.
Players have a major responsibility for the image of the game and the team
captain should play an important role in helping to ensure that the Laws and
referees’ decisions are respected
Goal scored
A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between
the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no offence has been
committed by the team scoring the goal.
If the goalkeeper throws the ball directly into the opponents’ goal, a goal kick is
awarded.
If a referee signals a goal before the ball has passed wholly over the goal line,
play is restarted with a dropped ball.
Offside
There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
- a goal kick
- a throw-in
- a corner kick
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Playing in a dangerous manner
- Playing in a dangerous manner is any action that, while trying to play the
ball, threatens injury to someone (including the player themself) and includes
preventing a nearby opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury.
- A scissors or bicycle kick is permissible provided that it is not dangerous to
an opponent.
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Impeding the progress of an opponent without contact
- Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the opponent’s path
to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not
within playing distance of either player.
- All players have a right to their position on the field of play; being in the way
of an opponent is not the same as moving into the way of an opponent.
- A player may shield the ball by taking a position between an opponent and the
ball if the ball is within playing distance and the opponent is not held off with
the arms or body. If the ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly
charged by an opponent.
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Cautions for unsporting behaviour
There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for
unsporting behaviour including if a player:
• attempts to deceive the referee, e.g. by feigning injury or pretending to have
been fouled (simulation)
• changes places with the goalkeeper during play or without the referee’s
permission (see Law 3)
• commits in a reckless manner a direct free kick offence
• handles the ball to interfere with or stop a promising attack
• commits a foul which interferes with or stops a promising attack, except
where the referee awards a penalty kick for an offence which was an attempt
to play the ball
• denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by an offence which
was an attempt to play the ball and the referee awards a penalty kick
• handles the ball in an attempt to score a goal (whether or not the attempt is
successful) or in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent a goal
• makes unauthorised marks on the field of play
• plays the ball when leaving the field of play after being given permission
to leave
• shows a lack of respect for the game
• uses a deliberate trick to pass the ball (including from a free kick) to the
goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee etc. to circumvent the Law, whether or
not the goalkeeper touches the ball with the hands
• Verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart
