Greetings!
Based on the last questions we sent out you all seemed to enjoy these. They created some good discussions! So, here's more food for thought directly from the US Soccer National Referee Program Office.
In the answer to the question regarding Offside, they refer to the Interpretation of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines
for Referees 2009/2010.
The document they are talking about is an excerpted section from: Laws of The Game 2010/2011 FIFA version; it is not a separate book.
(Click the link above to download your very own copy!)
I like the jewelry answer too! No, means, No! Imagine that?!
Rules 101 content provided by U.S. Soccer
Laws of the Game:
Ask the Referee
In response to various questions, the following are responses from the National Referee Program Office:
OFFSIDE!!!
Question: While an offensive player is
in the offside position, a defensive player attempts to clear the ball
and kicks a low line drive about 15 yards, which deflects off the leg of
an offensive player to the offside player who scores.
The offensive player from
whom the ball deflects does not play the ball, makes no attempt to play
the ball and had no opportunity to play the ball. He was just unlucky
that the ball hit him.
Rule 11 says that simply touching the ball is sufficient:
"Committing
an Offside Offence A player in an offside position is only penalized
if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he
is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:"
I've been told by [a
senior-level] ref that a deflection by an offensive player is not
offside. But Rule 11 says "touches or played." It seems to me that if
the rule only said "played" then an offensive unintentional deflection
would not be offside. But the Rule 11 has the words, "touches or
played." So shouldn't the offensive deflection to a player in the
offside position warrant the offside call since the offensive player
last "touched" the ball?
Answer:The senior-level referee has
his facts wrong. If the ball is played by a defending player and it
bounces off one opposing player to another of his opponents who is in an
offside position, that player in the offside position is offside
because he or she was interfering with play. You will find this
information in the Interpretation of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines
for Referees 2009/2010, under Law 11.
NO JEWELRY
Question:
I am asking this for one of
our players in our league. I am presently the president of a club in [my
state association].
This is regarding our Over
30 women's division. One of our players wears in the inner lobe of her
ear a half circle earring with a small ball on each end and it can only
be removed with surgical instruments. It could be easily covered.One
referee has refused to let her play while she played before some games
with no issues.
Nowadays, many younger girls have body piercing and so on.
Wouldn't such an earring be
less dangerous than a metal knee brace? What is the rule regarding this
kind of earring?
Answer:Unfortunately for your
player, the rules we play by, the Laws of the Game, are clear: No Jewelry
LAW 4 - THE PLAYERS' EQUIPMENT
- Safety
A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewelry).
The rule on no jewelry also
applies to items worn as part of body piercings. The only exceptions for
"jewelry" are medic-alert bracelets and religious items specifically
required by the wearer's religion.
Although the referee on any
particular game has the final authority to approve or disapprove any
item of equipment as to its safety, that decision must be taken within
the Laws of the Game which are quite clear on the subject of jewelry.
There are only two
acceptable reasons even to consider allowing such non-compulsory
equipment -- religious or medical reasons -- and even there the referee
must still determine that the item meets the Law's safety standard. By
tradition and worldwide acceptance, non-dangerous wedding bands are also
considered acceptable.
It does not appear that the item worn by the
player in your scenario meets any of the exceptions and so we would
expect every referee to be
firm in not allowing anyone
wearing such an item to be a player.
For more, please visit USSoccer.com
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