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Referee Information
If you have a question about the Laws of the Game, simply email the address below. We can also answer questions specific to Park Ridge House League, IWSL, YSSL, the IHSA. All questions, published or not, will be answered privately. Some questions and answers will be posted to this website. Questions that require an opinion, rather than or in addition to a technical answer, will bear a caveat pointing out that the answer may not have official status and should not be quoted in various fora as an “official” answer. If you wish more personal service, please direct your question to your State Director of Referee Instruction in writing (names and mailing addresses supplied upon request).
Actual email addresses are required for a response. All information is kept confidential and never distributed.
Email with your questions. We'll get back to you in 2-3 days.
Question: Are coaches allowed to ask for clarification of a referees call that they did not understand.
Is it appropriate for a coach or player (besides a team captain) to approach a referee at say half-time or after conclusion of the game to ask a question for clarification of a call made by the referee during the game.
This goes to “are referees approachable” if so, when ?
Answer (4/20/2011): Under the Laws of the Game, no coach or player may “question” the referee’s decision, nor must the referee provide any information other than what he or she puts in the match report.
That said, under Law 18 - Common Sense, the referee could certainly respond to a reasonable approach by a coach after the game is over or by the team's captain at an appropriate stoppage in play. The response should be succinct and polite, but it need not be a dialogue. If the coach or player persists and is not acting responsibly after getting an explanation, the referee should leave the field if the game is over and include pertinent details in a match report or move away from the player and get the ball back in play as soon as possible.
