RED CARD

[larry]

I hear at least 20 bad words a game and do nothing.

That is why you hear 20. A yellow card will eliminate 19 of them.

[mtnman]

Two situations that come to mind at TSSAA Spring fling a few years back.

 

1. A tennis player lost a match for saying Jesus or Christ (don't remember which). I don't remember the specifics but they lost the match. They may have been disqualified because it. Don't quote me, maybe someone else knows the specifics. It was a big deal

 

2. A soccer player in the state championship game was carded for an obsene gesture. This player was simply "adjusting himself" but it happened to come after a foul was called on him. He was given a yellow card. I didn't see it so it may have been towards the ref but the explanation I heard was he was adjusting himself.

Edited April 19, 2004 by mtnman

[TDJ85]

The Law says "offensive OR insulting Or abusive language and/Or gestures." I still read that to be directed at someone and not a stand alone expletive.

We played a certain team ( to be unnamed two years ago ) where every other word was f*** or ######. It was heard from one end of the field to the other constantly throughoput the game. It wasn't directed at any one in particular. A card was never shown. There were several small chidren in attendance. Maybe by coincidence the TSSAA started coming down hard on language the next year. Do we need to tell parents not to bring 8 & 10 year olds to hs soccer games?

 

Also, if you are a high school ref and do not call what the TSSAA says should be a yellow card you should not be allowed to officiate. The only exception would be if the TSSAA specifies that only language directed at a player or official be carded, which I do not believe it is.

 

Also, I have seen more and more cards issued for language in travel soccer. In most cases if it is said where only the players on the field can here nothing is done. This critera is used by several high school refs also which I do not have a problem with.

[Kendren]

It's apparently a touchier subject than I ever would have thought it would be. I don't condone it as an official, but I also acknowledge that there are situations where you should just let it ride. Talk to the kid, but just let it go the first time. NEVER would I let "20 words a game" ride, in my wildest dreams. If you're doing that, move up to college exclusively, becuase all you're doing as a ref is corrupting the high school level. Let college kids who are bigger than you cuss at you, but stop the high schoolers before it gets out of hand. Referees are given authority over sportsmanship issues for a reason. Exercise common sense, and keep control of what's going on out there.

[lcsoccer]

Soccaref is right. Just let them play. I personally don't think you should cuss, but you have the right to do so. And LArry it's just a yellow card, and carding wouldn't really help the cause, but increase stoppage time.

[Zizou159]

I agree that refs should just let them play and stop the run of play as little as possible. If you give a player a yellow for language it won't stop anyone, it'll just make them more upset. The only thing that would help control it is a red card but how many refs really want to eject a player for something as trivial as language?

[nickforte4261]

Does anyone know where i can find the TSSAA ruling on the red card, i have been all over their site looking for it. I recieved a red card in our game last thursday, i accepted it we played a man down and then i sat out the next game on friday, having heard nothing from TSSAA, i played in both of our games on saturday. Today our AD told me that i have to sit out tomorrow's game as a ruling of TSSAA, bc it is a rule that you must sit out 2 games for a red. That is new to me... i have been playing soccer for 11 years and i have never known a red card to mean an automatic 2 game suspension. Our coach is confused as well. We both think that what they mean by 2 games is the game that you recieved the card plus the next game, but the AD is saying something different. He has been on the phone trying to get hold of them, but they will not return his call. They sent him an email today saying i was to sit out today, he wrote them back letting them know i had already sat out a game, and has heard nothing. Does anyone know where i can find the rule? or does TSSAA treat red cards differently than the rest of the soccer world. I have never recieved one in TSSAA only in club and i sat out the remainder of that game and then the next and that was the end of it. anyone know where i can find this out

[KeithHamilton]

Red Card should only be the one game suspension unless you were considered a physical threat to someone or some other fairly significant incident was involved.

[silverpie]

1. A tennis player lost a match for saying Jesus or Christ (don't remember which). I don't remember the specifics but they lost the match. They may have been disqualified because it. Don't quote me, maybe someone else knows the specifics. It was a big deal

It was both. Either word alone would not have been called, they said, because it might be someone's name (Spanish or Greek repectively), but in combination, it's "an automatic default."

[nickforte4261]

Red Card should only be the one game suspension unless you were considered a physical threat to someone or some other fairly significant incident was involved.

Thank you that is the same thing i was thinking, do u know if it says that anywhere online on a TSSAA site so that i can print it and show it to our AD and then he can use it to prove our point

[CoachT]

I don't believe the TSSAA has a complete set of soccer rules of their own. They instead go by the National Federation rules:

 

National Federation

[KeithHamilton]

nickforte4261, here is the best response that I can give you. Believe me, I feel your pain. From the State's Bylaws here is what it says, ...

 

Conduct of Students

 

Section 16. A student who uses insulting or profane language or who is guilty of foul tactics, in addition to being disqualified by the referee shall be subject to such additional penalties as the Board of Control or Executive Director may deem best.

 

Technically, the language is written so vague as to leave any situation up for interpretation by TSSAA. The way it looks is that they have the discretion to decide if it is a one game or two game suspension or even worse. Good luck!