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The following additional instructions to referees, assistant referees and
fourth officials are intended to clarify the correct application of the
Laws of the Game.

Football is a competitive sport and physical contact between players
is a normal and acceptable part of the game, however players must
play within the Laws and respect the principles of fair play.

Serious foul play and violent conduct are two sending-off offences in
Law 12 involving unacceptable levels of physical aggression.

Serious Foul Play
A player is guilty of serious foul play if he uses excessive force or brutality
against an opponent when challenging for the ball when it is in
play.

Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from
the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with
excessive force and endangering the safety of an opponent is guilty
of serious foul play.

Violent Conduct
Violent conduct may occur either on the field of play or outside its
boundaries, whether the ball is in play or not. A player is guilty of violent
conduct if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent
when not challenging for the ball.

He is also guilty of violent conduct if he uses excessive force or brutality
against a team-mate or any other person.

Offences against goalkeepers
Referees are reminded that:
• it is an offence for a player to prevent a goalkeeper from releasing
   the ball from his hands
• a player must be penalized for playing in a dangerous manner if
   he kicks or attempts to kick the ball when the goalkeeper is in the
   process of releasing it
• it is an offence to restrict the movement of the goalkeeper by
   unfairly impeding him at the taking of a corner kick

Screening the ball
It is not an offence if a player, with the ball under control within playing
distance, screens the ball from an opponent without using his
arms.

.
If, however, he prevents an opponent challenging for the ball by illegal
use of the hand, arm, legs or body, he must be penalized by a direct
free kick, or a penalty kick if the offence was committed inside the
penalty area.

Scissors or bicycle kick
A scissors kick is permissible provided, in the opinion of the referee, it
is not dangerous to an opponent.

Deliberately handling the ball
Referees are reminded that deliberately handling the ball is normally
punished only by a direct free kick or penalty kick if the offence
occurred inside the penalty area. A caution or dismissal is not normally
required.

Preventing a goal or an obvious goal scoring opportunity
A player is sent off, however, if he prevents a goal or an obvious goal scoring
opportunity by deliberately handling the ball. This punishment
arises not from the act of the player deliberately handling the ball but
from the unacceptable and unfair intervention that prevented a goal
being scored.

Cautions for unsporting behavior by deliberately handling the ball
There are circumstances when, in addition to a free kick being awarded,
a player must also be cautioned for unsporting behavior e.g.
when a player:
• deliberately and blatantly handles the ball to prevent an opponent
gaining possession
• attempts to score a goal by deliberately handling the ball

Holding an opponent
A common criticism of referees is their failure to correctly identify and
punish the offence of holding an opponent. The failure to deal appropriately
with shirt-pulling and arm-holding can result in confrontation
situations developing and referees are instructed to make an early
intervention and to deal firmly with the situation in accordance with
Law 12.

A direct free kick or a penalty kick is normally all that is required
as punishment but in certain circumstances an additional sanction is
required e.g.
• a caution for unsporting behavior is required when a player holds
   an opponent to prevent him gaining possession of the ball or taking
   up an advantageous position
• a player must be sent off if he denies an obvious goal scoring
   opportunity by holding an opponent

The taking of free kicks
Referees are reminded that a player must be cautioned if:
• he delays the restart of play
• he fails to respect the required distance when play is being restarted

The Penalty Kick
It is an infringement to enter the penalty area before the kick has been
taken. The goalkeeper also infringes the Laws if he moves from his
goal line before the ball has been kicked. Referees must ensure that
when players infringe this Law appropriate action is taken.

Offside signals
It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.
Assistant referees must only indicate for an offside position if the
player has to be penalized for being in that position.

Offences by goalkeepers
Referees are reminded that goalkeepers are not permitted to keep
possession of the ball in their hands for more than six seconds. A
goalkeeper guilty of this offence is punished by an indirect free kick.

Persistent offenders

Referees should be alert at all times to players who persistently infringe
the Laws. In particular, they must be aware that even if a player commits
a number of different offences, he must still be cautioned for
persistently infringing the Laws.

Attitude towards referees
The captain of a team has no special status or privileges under the
Laws of the Game but he has a degree of responsibility for the behavior
of his team.

A player who is guilty of dissent by protesting at a referee’s decision
must be cautioned..

A player who assaults a referee or who is guilty of using offensive,
insulting or abusive language or gestures must be sent off.

Simulation
A player who attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or
pretending to have been fouled is guilty of simulation and must be
cautioned for unsporting behavior.

Delaying the restart of play
Referees must caution players who delay the restart of play by tactics
such as:
• taking a free kick from the wrong position with the sole intention
   of forcing the referee to order a retake
• appearing to take a throw-in but suddenly leaving it to one of his
   team-mates to throw-in
• kicking the ball away or carrying it away with the hands after the
   referee has stopped play
• excessively delaying the taking of a throw-in or free kick
• delaying leaving the field when being substituted

Celebration of a goal
While it is permissible for a player to demonstrate his joy when a goal
has been scored, the celebration must not be excessive.

FIFA recognized in Circular No. 579 that such reasonable celebrations
are allowed. The practice of choreographed celebrations is not to be
encouraged when it results in excessive time wasting and referees are
instructed to intervene in such cases.

A player must be cautioned when:
• in the opinion of the referee, he makes gestures which are provocative,
derisory or inflammatory
• he climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal being scored
• he removes his shirt over his head or covers his head with his shirt

Leaving the field to celebrate a goal is not a cautionable offence in
itself but it is essential that players return to the field as soon as possible.
Referees are expected to act in a preventative mode and to exercise
common-sense in dealing with the celebration of a goal.

Liquid refreshments
Players are entitled to take liquid refreshments during a stoppage in
the match but only on the touch line. It is not permitted to throw
plastic water bags or any other water containers onto the field.
Jewellery

Referees are reminded that, in accordance with Law 4, players may not
wear any kind of jewellery, which is dangerous for himself or another
player. If it is dangerous must be removed. It cannot be taped.

Indication of additional time allowed
Fourth officials are reminded that when, on the instruction of the referee,
the minimum additional time to be allowed at the end of each
half is being indicated, this indication should only be made at the end
of the final minute in each period of play.

Dealing with injured players
Referees must follow the instructions below when dealing with injured
players:
• play is allowed to continue until the ball is out of play if a player
   is, in his opinion, only slightly injured
• play is stopped if, in his opinion, a player is seriously injured
• after questioning the injured player, the referee authorizes one,
   or at most two doctors, to enter the field to ascertain the type of
   injury and to arrange the player’s safe and swift removal from the
   field
• the stretcher-bearers should enter the field with a stretcher at the
   same time as the doctors to allow the player to be removed as
   soon as possible
• the referee ensures an injured player is safely removed from the
   field of play
• a player is not allowed to be treated on the field
• any player bleeding from a wound must leave the field of play. He
   may not return until the referee is satisfied that the bleeding has
   stopped. A player cannot wear clothing with blood on it
• as soon as the referee has authorized the doctors to enter the
   field, the player must leave the field, either on the stretcher or on
   foot. If a player does not comply he is cautioned for unsporting
   behavior
• an injured player may only return to the field of play after the
   match has restarted
• an injured player may only re-enter the field from the touch line
   when the ball is in play. When the ball is out of play, the injured
   player may re-enter from any of the boundary lines
• the referee alone is authorized to allow an injured player to reenter
   the field whether the ball is in play or not

*if play has not otherwise been stopped for another reason, or if an
   injury suffered by a player is not the result of a breach of the Laws
   of the Game, the referee restarts play with a dropped ball
• the referee allows for the full amount of time lost through injury
   to be played at the end of each period of play

Exceptions
Exceptions to this ruling are made only for:
• injury to a goalkeeper
• when a goalkeeper and an outfield player have collided and need
immediate attention
• when a severe injury has occurred e.g. swallowed tongue, concussion,
broken leg etc.

The Technical Area
Fourth officials are expected to control the technical area in a preventative
rather than a confrontational manner.

However, if the occupants of the technical area indulge in serious
misconduct, the fourth official must inform the referee immediately.