1994 MEMORANDUM

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[The new requirement that goals must be securely anchored to the ground
remains subject to interpretation. The DC/VA state association has advised
referees that, subject to their discretionary judgment, the practice of
securely anchoring nets to the ground should be taken into account. The main
objective of this safety precaution is to prevent goals from "tipping over
due to strong winds ... or by player contact during the normal course of
play."] You are expected to make this item part of your pre-game inspection
procedure. Do not start play until the goals are anchored securely to the
ground.



Advice to Referees



This addition of a specifically qualified substitute for the goalkeeper [Law
III, 2d] ... warrants 2 items of clarification:



A. if the goalkeeper on the field is ordered off by the referee, the game
must not be restarted until another player of that team has been designated
as goalkeeper. The team may choose either to:

designate one of the players still on the field to change clothing and play
as goalkeeper, or,

one of the field players may leave the field and be replaced by the
substitute goalkeeper.

In either case, the team will play short for the remainder of the game.



B. According to FIFA Laws of the Game, any stoppage is a substitution
opportunity. However, some competitions limit the opportunities for
substitution to specific types of stoppage. If that is the case, the referee
must override such limitation and ensure that the team whose goalkeeper has
been ordered off is permitted to use the designated substitute goalkeeper to
replace a field player prior to restarting play.



The Technical Area as defined in Law V, IBD 13, related particularly to
matches played in stadia with a designated seating area for technical staff
and substitutes. It is recognized that Technical Areas may vary ... but
notwithstanding, the following notes are issued for general guidance:



1. The Technical Area shall be considered as extending 1 meter on either
side of the designated [team] seating area forward up to a distance of 1
meter away from the touchline.

2. Markings are not required to define this area.



USSF Advice to Referees [regarding coaching from the sideline]: The
designated coach is not permitted to stand near the touch-line to deliver a
constant stream of instructions to choreograph play.



Further Specific Instructions for Referees



1. Reckless Challenges: The Board showed much concern about the increasing
tendency among players to move their arms and elbows, without due care, too
near to opponents while competing for the ball. Referees should, therefore,
take stringent measures against the offenders by applying the sanctions
available to them under Law XII.



FIFA Circular 543 (1994)



A lateral sliding tackle [i.e., from the front or from any direction which
may be seen by the player being tackled] with one or both legs is
permissible if, in the opinion of the referee, it is not dangerous. If,
however, the player making the tackle, instead of making contact with the
ball, trips his opponent, the referee shall award a direct free kick to the
opposing team and caution the offending player.



A tackle from behind [i.e., from a direction which cannot be seen by the
player being tackled] which is violent with little or no attempt to play the
ball is prohibited and shall be punished by a direct free kick and an
ordering off [i.e., ejection].



A player shall be penalized for being offside [in an offside position] if,
at the moment the ball touches, or is played by, one of his own team, he is,
in the opinion of the referee, involved in the active play .... A linesman
must not signal offside simply because a player happens to be offside [in an
offside position]. Furthermore, if a linesman is in any doubt as to whether
a player is offside (active position) or not, he should decide in favor of
the attacker, in other words he shall refrain from signaling offside.



Players guilty of time-wasting shall be cautioned for ungentlemanly conduct.
Referees must add on to normal playing time the time considered lost through
time-wasting or any other reason such as injury, an incident or
substitution, etc.



Team officials may only enter the pitch [field] if the referee has given
them express permission to verify injury (and not to treat it) and then to
have the player carried off. A player who needs treatment must therefore be
taken off the pitch for appropriate attention.