TEAM OFFICIALS
Where an offence is committed and the offender cannot be identified, the senior team coach present in the technical area will receive the sanction.
Warning
The following offences should usually result in a warning; repeated or blatant offences should result in a caution or sending-off:
- entering the field of play in a respectful/non-confrontational manner
- failing to cooperate with a match official e.g. ignoring an instruction/request from an assistant referee or the fourth official
- minor/low-level disagreement (by word or action) with a decision
- occasionally leaving the confines of the technical area without committing another offence
Caution
Caution offences include (but are not limited to):
- clearly/persistently not respecting the confines of their team’s technical area
- delaying the restart of play by their team
- deliberately entering the technical area of the opposing team (non-confrontational)
- dissent by word or action including:
- throwing/kicking drinks bottles or other objects
- gestures which show a clear lack of respect for the match official(s) e.g. sarcastic clapping
- entering the referee review area (RRA)
- excessively/persistently gesturing for a red or yellow card
- excessively showing the TV signal for a VAR ‘review’
- gesturing or acting in a provocative or inflammatory manner
- persistent unacceptable behaviour (including repeated warning offences)
- showing a lack of respect for the game
Sending-off
Sending-off offences include (but are not limited to):
- delaying the restart of play by the opposing team e.g. holding onto the ball, kicking the ball away, obstructing the movement of a player
- deliberately leaving the technical area to:
- show dissent towards, or remonstrate with, a match official
- act in a provocative or inflammatory manner
- entering the opposing technical area in an aggressive or confrontational manner
- deliberately throwing/kicking an object onto the field of play
- entering the field of play to:
- confront a match official (including at half-time and full-time)
- interfere with play, an opposing player or a match official
- entering the video operation room (VOR)
- physical or aggressive behaviour (including spitting or biting) towards an opposing player, substitute, team official, match official, spectator or any other person (e.g. ball boy/girl, security or competition official etc.)
- receiving a second caution in the same match
- using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
- using unauthorised electronic or communication equipment and/or behaving in an inappropriate manner as the result of using electronic or communication equipment
- violent conduct
Offences where an object (or the ball) is thrown
In all cases, the referee takes the appropriate disciplinary action:
- reckless – caution the offender for unsporting behaviour
- using excessive force – send off the offender for violent conduct