Yesterday Dennis Wickham wrote:
>In December, I posted a new answer on Jim Allen's site that I think directly
>bears on the need for the League Officials to be able to exercise some
>discretion on what discipline is just.
>
>In the question presented, the referee in the first half issued a caution to
>number 2 in error. The caution should have been given to number 9. Play
>was then restarted. At the half, when the AR questioned what 2 had done,
>the referee realized the error. The USSF answer was that after play was
>restarted the Referee could not make any changes: the caution to No. 2
>stood; and no caution could be given to no. 9. The answer identified that
>this was contrary to another published statement, and that it would be
>corrected in the next edition.
>
>Imagine if both players received a "second" caution in the second half: no
>2 would be sent off but no. 9 would not. When the referee's game report
>accurately described what happened, most League officials would likely
>conclude that no further discipline was just as to no. 2 and would end up
>arguing about what to do about no. 9.
>
>Of course, this is different than the original post, because the League
>actions in my example are not "overruling" the judgment of the referee, but
>acting consistently with the referee's judgment that the first caution to
>no. 2 was in error.
>
>I can understand why, under Law 5, the USSF could conclude that the referee
>cannot change the decision after play restarts. (Before the ruling, one
>could argue whether the decision has been changed or simply the announcement
>of the decision). But, if the referee cannot correct the error and the
>league cannot correct the error, something is wrong.
And the answer on my site also said that the referee was to submit
FULL DETAILS in the match report, didn't it? Dennis neglected to
mention that. Most hearing boards are competent to read referee
reports, or so I have heard.
QUOTE
USSF answer (December 13, 2002):
//first paragraph snipped; not relevant//
No, once play has restarted the caution/yellow card to player 2 may
not be revoked. Nor may the referee then card player 9. The caution
issued to player 2 must stand. The referee must include a full
report of the situation in the match report.
UNQUOTE
