|
Authority of the Referee
Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he or she has been appointed. The referee has the safety of the players as his or her main concern. |
 |
| Power and Duties |
| • |
Enforces all Laws of the Game. |
|
| • |
Controls the match together with the assistant referees. |
|
| • |
Ensures game ball used meets the requirements of Law 2. |
|
| • |
Ensures that the players' equipment meets the requirements of Law 4. |
|
| • |
Keeps time and record of the match. |
|
| • |
Stops, suspends, or terminates the match because of outside interference of any kind. |
|
| • |
Stops the match if, in his opinion, a player is injured or runs the risk of injury. |
|
| • |
Ensures that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the field of play. The player may only return on receiving a signal from the referee, who must be satisfied that the bleeding has stopped. |
|
| • |
Allows the game to continue and not call a foul if he or she thinks it would be an advantage for the team that was fouled to allow play to continue. This is called 'the advantage clause'. |
|
| • |
Punishes the more serious offence when a player commits more than one offence at the same time. |
|
| • |
Takes disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable (yellow card) and sending-off (red card) offences (Law 12). He or she is not obliged to take this action immediately but must do so when the ball next goes out of play. |
|
| • |
Takes action against coaches or other team officials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may at his or her discretion, expel them from the field of play and its immediate surroundings. Yellow cards and red cards are not required to be shown for these instances. |
|
| • |
Acts on advice of assistant referees regarding incidents which the referee has not seen. |
|
| • |
Ensures that no unauthorized persons enter the field of play. |
|
| • |
Restarts the match after it has been stopped. |
|
| • |
Provides the appropriate authorities with a match report which includes information on any disciplinary action taken against players, and/or team officials and any other incidents which occurred before, during, or after the match. |
|
Decisions of the Referee
The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are final! The referee may only change a decision on realizing that it is incorrect or, at his or her discretion, on the advice of an assistant referee, provided that he or she has not restarted play. |
