Cautions

Cautionable Offences

Issuing a caution is a key moment in any game and the manner in which it is conducted can significantly affect a referee’s control and authority.

The Cautioning Procedure

Other than those referees operating at the PGMOL level in this country, I would advise you to adopt the following actions when cautioning a player:

	Tell the player he/she is being cautioned and the reason why – “It’s a caution for the trip which is unsporting behaviour”.
	Enquire the player’s full name and confirm the spelling.
	Inform the player that if a second cautionable offence is committed, then you will have no option but to send them off (this places the onus on them not to commit another offence!).
	Show the yellow card, clearly raised aloft and in a non-threatening manner.
	Do not stand too close to the player you are cautioning as that can be provocative.

Remember that the use of a card, whilst mandatory, is merely a simple aid to better communication – it is as much for the players, coaches and spectators as for the cautioned player. You should never show the card in an aggressive or provocative manner which might inflame an already emotive situation.

Cautionable Offences

As outlined by a number of our top officials in the January 2009 issue, there are seven offences for which a player can be cautioned:

Unsporting behaviour (Law 12, C1)

This includes a multitude of offences, contrary to the spirit of the Law. It includes examples of deliberately tripping, pushing, charging or impeding; indeed, the committing of any of the penal offences, time wasting (not time consuming), kicking the ball away or into the goal after play has been stopped, etc.

Shows dissent by word or action (Law 12, C2)

You should consider two possibilities:

the spontaneous reaction of disappointment by a player for which a word of advice may be sufficient;
open, hostile disagreement by word (“that was rubbish referee”) or by action (sarcastic clapping) against your decision for which a caution MUST be issued.

Note: If offensive, insulting or abusive language is used in dissent, then the player MUST be sent from the field of play.

Persistently infringing the Laws of the Game (Law 12, C3)

A player who persistently infringes the Laws of the Game is one who continues to offend and who will previously have had this matter drawn to his/her attention.*

*It is often advised, as a useful guide, that persistent infringement could imply a number of offences (three or four) committed in a short space of time.

However, a higher number of offences committed over 90 minutes could result in the same sanction being applied.

You should also consider the timing between the offences when invoking this element of Law 12.

Delaying the restart of play (Law 12, C4)

A player who deliberately delays the restart of play, e.g. preventing an opponent from taking a free-kick by standing in front of the ball, MUST be cautioned.

Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free-kick or throw-in (Law 12, C5)

A player who approaches too close to the ball or fails to retire the correct distance from the ball at the taking of such kicks must be cautioned.

Entering or re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission (Law 12, C6)

Leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission (Law 12, C7)

These offences are, comparatively speaking, rare and it is emphasised that the referee should only punish deliberate breaches of this clause. A player who wishes to leave the field of play, in order to receive treatment, should first request permission from the referee. Please remember that a substitute or substituted player should be cautioned if he commits any of the following three offences:

Unsporting Behaviour (Law 12, C1)
Dissent by word or action (Law 12, C2)
Delaying the restart of play (Law 12, C4)

An example of a Multi-Caution form can be found here: Multi-Caution