West Ottawa Soccer REFEREE HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 West Ottawa Soccer REFEREE HANDBOOK

2 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Referee Code of Ethics 2 Becoming a Referee 3 Referee Registration 4 Referee Classification 5 Referee Uniform 6 Game Appointment Procedures 7 Game Appointment Cancellation Procedures 9 Number of Game Officials 9 Game Report Procedures 10 Referee Payments 10 Game Day Responsibilities 11 West Ottawa Soccer Leagues 13 Laws of the Game and League Rules 13 Player s Equipment Guidelines 14 Adverse Weather Guidelines 15

3 Introduction One of the most challenging activities within soccer is to become a game official. It is rewarding to be involved in a leadership position to ensure the safety of the players, to keep the match flowing, protect the skilled players and to encourage fair-play and enjoyment by the participants. Persons wishing to start refereeing must first attend the entry level course of instruction conducted by the OSA. A referee transferring from another province must complete the standard CSA Referee Transfer form and submit it to the OSA. In order to maintain a classification, a referee must meet the annual requirements which are set in accordance with the CSA guidelines. To be eligible for promotion to the next level of classification a referee must meet the standards set by the OSA. Referees must apply for promotion in writing by 1 March proceeding the season in which the promotion is sought. The review of a referee's upgrading file will be completed by the OSA annually and referees will be notified in writing. Referees considered for promotion in the preceding season, but not advanced, will automatically be included in the promotion scheme for the following season unless they indicate otherwise, in writing, to the OSA by 1 March following the decision. WOS Referee Contacts Head Referee Edwin Goodridge: headreferee@wosc.com Office Manager Vicki Lowe: mgr@wosc.com Club Office, Mailing Address: 1927 Richardson Side Road, Carp, ON, K0A 1L0 Tel: Fax: New mailing Address: P.O Kanata, ON, K2T 0A3 Web site: West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 3

4 Code of Ethics for Match Officials Game officials having certain privileges through and by West Ottawa Soccer, with respect to the game, shall realize their responsibilities and duties to the club and the game. The West Ottawa Soccer Code of Ethics includes and enlarges upon the Canadian Soccer Association s Code of Ethics for Game Officials. All West Ottawa Soccer Match Officials shall: a) Conduct themselves with dignity both on and off the field of play and shall, by example, seek to inspire the principles of fair play and earn the respect of those the referee serves. b) Not cause the Canadian Soccer Association, Ontario Soccer Association, Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association or West Ottawa Soccer Club to become involved in any controversial matters and shall abide by the rules and regulations of the national, provincial and district soccer association. c) Adhere to all standards and directives established by the international (FIFA), national (CSA), provincial (OSA) and district (EODSA) soccer association. d) Always be neat in appearance and maintain a high level of physical and mental fitness. e) Study the Laws of the Game and be aware of all changes and shall enforce all said Laws and changes. f) Perform their designated duties, including attending organized courses and shall assist their colleagues in upgrading and improving their standards of officiating. g) Adhere to the Canadian Soccer Association s Anti-Doping Policy. h) Honor any appointments made for and accepted by them unless unable to do so by virtue of illness or personal emergency. I) Not publicly criticize other referees, the national or provincial soccer association, or any referees association. j) Not make any statement to the media (newspaper, television, radio, etc.) related to a game in which the referee has officiated, or to the performance of the players or other officials. k) Not accept any appointment to officiate in any competitive game involving a team in the same age group and gender division in the same league to which the referee is directly affiliated as a registered player, coach or manager. l) Follow the correct lines of communication to the CSA Referee Committee which shall be through the Club/District/Provincial Soccer Association where they are registered. m) Be subject to disciplinary action for not complying with this Code of Ethics. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 4

5 Becoming a Referee Entry Level Referee Course The Entry Level Referee Course in an introductory referee course designed by the Canadian Soccer Association. All individuals with no refereeing experience must take the Entry Level Referee Course in order to be certified as a referee in Canada. An individual must be 14 as of 31 March of that year in order to enroll in the Entry Level Referee Course. In order to complete the course and be certified as a referee with the CSA/OSA, a participant must do the following: Register for course, via Course Coordinator, no later than 10 days prior to start of course; Receive Pre-Course Workbook and Laws of the Game book; Complete Pre-Course Workbook and bring to course (participants will not be permitted to course if they have not completed the workbook); Complete In-Class Workbook; Write and pass the Entry Level Referee Examination at the conclusion of the course. The exam will not be marked on the day of the course. The instructor will mark the exams and send the results to the OSA. After approval, the OSA will send the results of the exam to the club and individual participants. Those who pass the examination will be certified as District Referees (if over the age of 16) or Youth Referees (if under the age of 1 6).They will be certified as a CSA Referee and certified to referee in 1 1v11 competitive matches. The OSA will mail the referee their Registration Card and CSA Referee Badge. The referees who fail the examination will be certified as an OSA Recreational referee and certified to referee in 11 v11 recreational U-1 8 competitions. The OSA will mail the referee their Registration Card and OSA Referee Badges to the Office. Mini Referee Course In order to participate in a Mini Soccer Referee Course, an individual must turn 12 years of age no later than 31 March of that year. Participants of the course will become certified Ontario Soccer Association Mini Referees and will be qualified to referee 7v7 mini soccer games. These referees will not be certified to referee or act as assistant referees on any 1 1v11 games at any level. You must take this course again until you are 14 and then you take the Entry Level course. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 5

6 Referee Registration (a) No person shall be appointed as a match official in any match or competition under the jurisdiction of the CSA, either directly or indirectly, unless registered in accordance with these regulations. (b) A referee must be registered with the CSA through the provincial association within the area in which the referee resides. A referee will be required to pay the standard national registration fee to be determined annually by the CSA. Registration will run from the date of registration until the following 31 March. (c) The provincial association which conducts the entry level course or mini referee course will be responsible for the initial administration of a referee. A referee who changes residence from one provincial administrative area to another will be required to complete a provincial transfer form and be transferred to the new provincial association for administrative purposes but will not be required to pay a further registration fee for that registration period. (d) Referees shall not be registered with the CSA until they are able to satisfy the provincial association of their date of birth in such a manner as shall be determined by the CSA. (e) A person below 14 years of age can be registered only as an OSA mini referee. (f) A referee who has failed to register as a referee with the CSA for two consecutive seasons shall not be re-registered until an application has been considered by the provincial association within whose area the referee resides at the time of application for reregistration. (g) Provincial associations may re-examine registered referees administered by them as determined by the CSA. The CSA must be notified, by the provincial association, of the names of referees who do not meet the standard determined by the CSA. (h) Where considered not to be a fit and proper person to act as a referee, the registration may be removed or suspended by the provincial association which administers the referee or by the CSA. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 6

7 Referee Classification The classification period runs from 1 April in each year, or the date of successful completion of the initial examination, to the following 31 March, as follows: International. Referees who are on the FIFA List of Referees or Assistant Referees. National List. Referees selected by the CSA to serve on the National List of Referees or Assistant Referees Provincial Referee. Provincial Referees. This classification includes referees who have served at a higher level. Regional Referee. Regional referees. District Referee. must be over the age of 16 yrs. Youth Referee. a District Referee over the age of 14 and under 16 years of age at the date of registration. Non-active Referees. those referees who no longer are active officials but who may wish to maintain their registration with the CSA. (b) When a referee changes residence from one provincial association to another, the classification level will be accepted by the provincial association in to whose area the referee has moved. (This regulation does not apply to mini referees, who may be required to undergo separate provincial training prior to being re-registered). (c) Referees must apply for promotion in writing. The provincial association must receive this request by no later than 1 March preceding the season in which the promotion is sought. Referees considered for promotion in the preceding season, but not advanced, will automatically be included in the promotion scheme for the following season unless they indicate otherwise, in writing, to the their provincial association by 1 March following the decision of that association. (d) Promotion to Regional and Provincial Referee classification shall be based on a referee s practical performance on the field of play. This will be determined by considering the marks and assessments by assessors on a minimum of three games from outdoor 11 a-side competitions for players over the age of 16 years, over a minimum of 20 qualifying games during any one marking period, officiated in as a referee. A further requirement for promotion is the completion of a minimum of five games as an assistant referee in the promotion season. (e) In addition to their practical performance on the field of play, referees will be required to attend in-service training, as determined by the CSA, successfully complete a written examination set by the CSA and, where determined by the CSA from time to time, successfully complete the appropriate fitness test prior to the promotion being confirmed. (f) The responsibility of promoting referees to Regional and Provincial Referee rests with the provincial association in which the referee resides and who administers the referee s registration. (g) A District Referee must serve a minimum of one complete registration period or 12 months in that classification, whichever is the shortest, and have completed a minimum of 20 qualification games, as a referee, in outdoor 11 a-side competitions for players over the age of 16 yrs before applying for promotion to Regional Referee. (h) Youth Referee includes all District Referees between the ages of 14 and 16 as at 1 April each season. A Youth referee will automatically become a District Referee on reaching the age of 16. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 7

8 Referee Uniform (a) All match officials in competitions under the jurisdiction of the CSA and provincial associations must wear uniforms comprising plain black shirts and black shorts. Socks shall be black. Adidas grey is considered black. Referees may only wear an alternative colour uniform when there is a clash between the uniform shirts of the outfield players of one of the teams and the referee s first choice colour. The preferred alternative second choice colour is yellow, the third red., Our club referees are advised to consider red as the second choice colour and the third yellow). Yellow or red shirts should have a black collar where one is fitted. (b) Match officials are required to wear the current FIFA or the appropriate Canadian Soccer Association badge, which must be worn on the left breast pocket. No other competition or association badge may be worn. (c) No advertising of any nature, save as set out below, is permitted on match officials clothing without the consent of the CSA. The mark, logo or name of a clothing manufacturer or a combination of the same, may appear: - Once only on the shirt provided that it is an area no greater than 20 square centimeters - Once only on the shorts provided that in an area no greater than 20 square centimeters - Incorporated into the design of the socks, but must be limited to an area no greater than 12 square centimeters. (d) The use of jacquards shall be allowed providing each is limited to 20 square centimeters, with unlimited repeats being acceptable. The design of such jacquards may be the manufacturers mark, logo or name. The jacquard shading shall be restricted to two shades differing from the base colour, using the standard Pantone reference manual. (e) Sponsor advertising in accordance with FIFA regulations is permitted only on the shirt sleeves and the total surface area of the advertising shall not exceed 200cm2. Any sponsorship contract must be made between the sponsor and the CSA. Individual associations or leagues are not permitted to enter into sponsorship contracts for referee uniforms. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 8

9 Game Appointment Procedures West Ottawa Soccer referees are appointed for the games using RefCentre, a centralized on-line system with many options available. You can choose which days, fields, age groups, divisions and time you are available to referee. The club will assign games based on referees preferences and the referees are required to check RefCentre on a regular basis. Setting up your RefCentre account involves 3 steps: 1. Registration 2. Setting your preferences 3. Setting your availability 1. Registration You must register each year with RefCentre. To do this, please follow these instructions: a) Visit b) Look for the Register button and click on it. You will be asked for an activation code enter the code that you will receive after your registration with the OSA is completed. c) This will now bring you to the registration page. Please select your name from the drop down box. Please ensure that you register under your own name. d) Complete the registration page and click the submit button. 2. Setting up your Preferences a) Now click on the Preference button and select Districts. You will note that your home District is EODSA. b) Now select Leagues. The League page will open with a series of leagues that will be on RefCentre this summer. Check off the leagues that you would like to officiate in and click the Submit button to save the information. c) Now select Tournaments. The Tournaments page will open with list of tournaments that will be on Ref Centre this summer. Check off the tournaments that you would like to officiate in and click the Submit button to save the information d) Now select Day. The Day page will open with a drop down box for each day. Select which league you would prefer to officiate in on each day of the week. The drop down box will default to the first named league that you selected. When you are satisfied with your selections click on the Submit button. The league that you select will be your preferred league on that day which means RefCentre will try to give you a game in that league first. If it cannot give you a game in your preferred league then it will then attempt to give you a game in one of the other leagues that you have selected in step 2b. If on a particular day of the week you are never available, for example Friday, you must still put a preferred league in a drop down box for that day. Then to ensure that you don t get offered a game on a Friday, just make yourself unavailable for each Friday on your availability calendar. See section 3 below. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 9

10 e) Now select Kick Offs. The Kick Off page will open. If you have a preference for early or late games select them here, otherwise keep the setting at Don't Care. If you select early then Ref Centre will only give you evening games that kick off between 5:00pm and 7:59pm. If you select late then Ref Centre will only give you evening games that kick off between 8:00pm and 11:59pm. Click the Submit button to save the changes. f) Now select Fields. The Fields page will open showing the field zones in EODSA. When you check off a zone you are accepting all the fields in that zone. The higher graded referees will only see two choices: Preferred and Acceptable. The page will default to Acceptable for all zones. The remaining referees will see Preferred, Acceptable and Not Acceptable. In this case Not Acceptable is the default choice. If you select a Not Acceptable zone then RefCentre will never give you a game for a field in that city. Please select your choices and click the Submit button to save the changes g) Now select Divisions. The Divisions page will open showing you the leagues that you selected. Click on each league and the divisions for that league will appear. You have 3 options here, Referee and AR, AR only or None. The default is None. If you select None then Ref Centre will never give you a game in that division. If you select AR only then Ref Centre will only give you an AR appointment in that division. If you select Referee or AR then Ref Centre could give you either position for that division. If you see a in the Ref or AR column then it means you are not graded high enough to referee that division. If you see a in the AR column it means that that division does not use AR s. Select your choices for each league and click the Submit button to save the choices. Your preferences are now set up; however, you can change these at any time. Now you need to set up your availability. 3. Setting up your Availability a) Click on the Games button and select the Availability option b) The calendar for the month will appear. Check off the days that you wish to be made available for that month. If you leave the day unchecked then RefCentre will not give you any games on that day. c) Now change the next month and set up your choices. Again click update button to save your choices. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 10

11 Game Appointment Cancellation Procedures If you need to cancel a WOSC, house league soccer game appointment that you have already accepted please follow these procedures: If the game is more than 48 hours away 1. Log into RefCentre 2. Click on the Games button and select Schedule 3. Click on the link that says 'decline game'. If the game is less than 48 hours away You have to or call the admin person to take you off that game, if not you are still doing the game. Number of Game Officials For outdoor games in WOS Competitive, there is typically either one referee (1) or one referee and two assistant referees (3) appointed to each game. Please check the competition rules to see if there are specific rules to address the situation where there are no officials present or if less than the usual number are present. No Official Arrives The coaches of each team consider whether a spectator may be a mutually agreeable replacement for the entire game. If not, then each coach or their designate may officiate one half of the game. Please notify the league on the game sheet that there was no game official present at the match and then the league can investigate further. Only Two of Three Officials Arrive If three officials are supposed to arrive for the game and only two are present, one of the officials will be the referee of the game and the other will be an assistant referee. A club person may act as the other assistant referee. If the two officials, who have arrived for the game, were both given original appointments as assistant referees, then one of them shall become the referee for the game. Whether the two officials flip a coin to decide who will be the referee or whether one is a junior official not comfortable with performing as the referee for the game, the decision should be made by two professionals acting in the best interest of the quality of the game and the safety of the players. Once the assistant referee has taken over and begun the preparations for the game and gotten the game started, that person is the referee and will make all decisions regarding the game. So, if the person assigned as the original referee of the game shows up late, it is the decision of the "new referee" who started the game as to whether the originally designated referee's services are needed in the game and in what capacity. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 11

12 Game Report Procedures Game sheets are required for every WOS Soccer League game. The referee has to collect the game sheets from both teams 10 minutes before the official kick-off time. Check the forms to make sure the game date and team information are complete and all players are listed by name and number. Delay the start of the game, if required, until you get both game sheets. If a coach has no game sheet, give them a blank paper and request them to list each player s full name and shirt number. At the end of the game, complete the game reports: Note the score and the goal scorers on each game sheet. Log in to RefCentre and complete the on-line game report by entering the final score, yellow cards and red cards. If you issued a yellow card, a red card or have a situation worthy of a special incident report (game abandoned, length of halves shortened, player seriously injured), you must complete and send the reports within 24 hours to the appropriate league. Fax or mail the game sheets along with any caution, dismissal or special incident reports related to that match to the appropriate league. If you are refereeing a WOSC Soccer house league games, you should , fax or mail the game reports to the WOS Soccer Office at 1927 Richardson Side Road, Carp, ON, K0A 1L0 Tel: Fax: New mailing Address: P.O Kanata, ON, K2T 0A3 or drop them off in the WOS Soccer office mail slot. Referee Payments WOS Soccer pays its referees through direct deposit on or after the 10 th of each month. For example, on or after 10 June you will receive payment for all of the games worked in May. In order for us to pay you, we require either a copy of a void cheque or a note from your bank including your bank number, transit number and account number. The information must be in one of the two above forms in order to eliminate errors in processing. The information can be faxed to the WOS Soccer office or dropped off. We keep records at the office which show the details of your payment. You can call or the Referee Coordinator to ask that a copy be sent to you. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 12

13 Game Day Responsibilities Arrival at the Field Look good and sharp. Be smart in appearance and approachable to your colleagues. Introduce yourself to the team managers and/or coaches. The referee, assistant referees, and the fourth official must all be at the ground at the time prescribed by the competition rules and/or accepted local rules (at least 20 minutes prior to the kick-off). This will ensure that there is enough time to check the facilities and allow for any adjustments to the field of play. The match officials should ensure that they arrive at the field with additional equipment, such as spare flags, coins, whistles etc. Pre-Game Meeting The referee will normally brief his assistant referees and the fourth official before the game commences. This will allow the Referee to instruct the other officials on what he expects them to do during the game and to make clear the responsibilities of each of individual officials. The meeting allows the officials to discuss and to help the referee with his match plan. The referee will explain what signals he expects from his assistant referees and the fourth official. The competition rules should also be discussed as this ensures the officials are aware of any non-standard rules (i.e. local rules versus FIFA Laws of the Game). Before the Start of the Game Before every game, an inspection should be made of the team rosters and players' equipment as per CSA/OSA guidelines (look for earrings, finger rings, sharp damaged studs etc.). The assistant referee or the fourth official may be delegated this task by the referee. Kick-Off The referee and his assistant referees will enter the field of play together and move to the centre for the coin toss ceremony. The referee normally carries the match ball, introduces his colleagues to the team captains and conducts the coin toss. All officials should make a note of the kick-off time and which team starts the game. The referee should make eye contact with his assistant referees and the fourth official to ensure that everything is ready before he starts the game. During the Game Keep proper match records, such as the score and the scorers, as well as detailed notes of any cautions and sending-offs, noting the time, player s number and the nature of the incident. The referee usually delegates the control of the technical area (bench) to the fourth official, if available; if not, the senior assistant referee will take care of it. This will include management of any substitutions throughout the game, controlling and bringing to the referee s attention any misconduct from the bench, such as dissent or offensive, insulting and abusive language committed by words or actions (including gestures). Be constantly aware of the general movement and whereabouts of the club officials, substitutes and any another team personnel. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 13

14 Injured Players Although players' safety is always a main priority, concerns have been expressed about the loss of playing time caused by the assessment of injuries to players and their removal from the field of play. Referees must add the time lost at the end of each period of play and allow for stoppages due to injury and for any other delays. An injured player may only return to the field of play after the match has restarted. Be aware and deal with players leaving and re-entering the field of play either to adjust their equipment or when they have open wounds and blood on their uniform. The return of players into the field of play should be done as soon as possible, only when the referee has signaled a suitable moment for re-entry. Players should not be allowed back on the field of play until the referee has clearly signaled them after play has been restarted. Players who have left the field of play to have their equipment adjusted are only allowed to re-enter during a stoppage in play. The players, who have left the field of play to be treated for an injury, can re-enter on the referee's signal during play, but the returning player must enter along one of the touchlines. Substitutions Be prepared to deal with substitution requests at any time during the game. Organize and control all substitutions. Make a note of all proceedings. Check the substitutes' equipment before they enter the field of play on the halfway line. If their equipment is not up to standards, the referee will take the appropriate action. The assistant referee is normally responsible for indicating to the referee when a team wishes to make a substitution. If both teams are making substitutions at the same time, keep the substitutes on their respective technical area sides. If display boards are available, use them to show the number of the player leaving the field of play and the number of the substitute player entering the field of play. Only allow the substitute to enter the field of play after the exiting player has left it. Half-time The officials should monitor both teams leaving the field of play and technical area and ensure that no confrontation takes place while players are making their way to the changing rooms. Full-time The officials should monitor both teams leaving the field and ensure that no confrontation takes place while players are making their way to the changing rooms. They should wait on the side of the field of play and join the other officials before making their way to the officials' changing room as a team to discuss any final match points and compare records. After the Game Do not get involved with players or team officials attempting to discuss match incidents. The referee and the assistant referees should check and confirm match records in the confines of the officials' changing room. If there are any incidents that were missed, these must be imparted to the referee for inclusion in the match report. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 14

15 WOS Soccer Leagues WOS Soccer club referees are appointed in the following leagues: WOSC Youth House League is an internally run league for youth recreational players with several age categories, from U9 to U19. New district referees (over 16 yrs) may be appointed as referees for house league matches up to U19. Youth referees (14-15 yrs) may be appointed as referees for house league games up to U15, while mini referees may be appointed only for mini soccer games. Women s soccer Over 30 House League is an internally run league for women over 30, with games scheduled during the weekends, mostly on Sunday evenings. This league is eligible only for experienced referees over 18 years old. WOSC Indoor House League is an internally run league for recreational players from U9 to U19 and adults (women s and men s OT), with games scheduled during the week and weekends, from October to March, at the both Thunderbird soccer domes. New district referees (over 16 yrs) may be appointed for indoor games up to U19, while youth referees (14-15 yrs) may be appointed for indoor games up to U15. The adult games are eligible only for experienced referees over 18 years old. Goulbourn Lanark Soccer League (GLSL) is a league for women over 30, with games scheduled Friday and Sunday evenings. This league is eligible only for experienced referees over 18 years old. New district referees (over 16 yrs) and youth referees (14-15 yrs) may be appointed as assistant referees. Eastern Ontario District Soccer League (EODSA) is a league for youth competitive teams, level 5 and 6, from U9 to U18. New district referees (over 16 yrs) may be appointed as assistant referees in EODSA games up to U18. Youth referees (14-15 yrs) may be appointed as assistant referees in EODSA games up to U15. East Region Soccer League (ERSL) is a league for youth competitive teams, level 3 and 4, from U9 to U21. New district referees (over 16 yrs) may be appointed as assistant referees in ERSL games up to U21. Youth referees (14-15 yrs) may be appointed as assistant referees in ERSL games up to U15. Laws of the Game and League Rules FIFA Laws of the Game shall govern all outdoor games, except as noted in the West Ottawa Soccer House League Rules. For all indoor games, WOSC Soccer is applying the OSA Playing Rules for Indoor Soccer. The updated versions of the laws of the game and league rules are posted in the referees section of the West Ottawa Soccer Club. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 15

16 Player s Equipment Guidelines The CSA issued a memorandum pertaining to Law 4, The Players Equipment, which clarifies the use of non-essential equipment that may or may not be worn by players. This document elaborates on the CSA document for games under the jurisdiction of the OSA. Jewellery No item of jewellery of any sort will be allowed on the field of play, even if it is taped. This includes but not limited to necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather or rubber bands or visible body piercings. Loose beaded hair is also not permitted unless tied back or covered by a net. Exceptions to this interpretation are: Smooth wedding bands, which, when the referee is convinced cannot be removed may be taped. Medic Alert Bracelets are allowed but must be taped. The taping should be such that the description of the medical problem is clearly visible. Headwear Hats - No hats are allowed on the field of play. Exceptions to this interpretation are: 1. The goalkeeper may wear a hat 2. A player may be permitted for medical reasons on the presentation of a letter signed by a medical professional and validated by the District Association and a copy to the OSA. 3. As guidance: a. the hat may not be a baseball cap, and b. If cap has a peak it must face forwards and have a soft peak. and c. contains no metal or plastic parts Bandanas - no bandanas are allowed. Sweat bands - no sweatbands are allowed. Head protectors: only those permitted by FIFA are allowed. Eyeglasses: are allowed if they are sports spectacles and are safe for the players themselves and for other players. Materials such as metal or glass are not acceptable. In recreational and house league games referees are expected to show common sense and allow spectacles as long as the basic principles of Law 4 are met. For all West Ottawa Soccer (house league) games, referees are expected to apply the basic principles (ensure that glasses are not broken or have a sharp edge). However, at the recreational level, the street wear eyeglasses are acceptable to the club and referees are directed to let the players play while wearing these eyeglasses. Note that wearing nonprescription eyeglasses (i.e. pure sunglasses) is not acceptable by any player at any time. Orthopedic Supports, e. g. Knee FIFA Circular 863 states that the vast majority of commercially manufactured supports are safe to use. The major concern is not the hardness of the equipment alone, rather West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 16

17 that any part of it can cut or wound another player. Any support must be safe for all players, and adequately padded and covered. Casts Players wearing a cast will NOT be permitted to play. Prosthetics A player wearing a prosthetic device should be allowed to play providing the basic principles of Law 4 are met. Footwear Referees are encouraged to incorporate a footwear inspection in the pre-match safety check of players equipment. - Poorly maintained studs or blades on the sole of the boot can constitute a danger. - When inspecting footwear, referees are to be alert to the possibility of the edge of the blades or studs developing rough areas on either the plastic or metal used in their construction. -These burrs can become very sharp and have been the cause of lacerations to opponents. A referee who is concerned over the condition of blades or studs should refuse their use until such time as the unsafe condition has been removed. Jerseys All jerseys must have sleeves. The players may not roll the sleeves up or tie them at the shoulder level. Religious Head Dresses In accordance CSA and OSA mandates, Religious Head Dresses are allowed, full length clothing, as required by religious practice are completely acceptable in the game of soccer, so long as the head dresses are fastened in a manner that will not cause harm to the participant or others and so long as you ensure (by having them knock on their shin guards) that the players in question are wearing all required equipment. As match officials we are role models within WOSC and have to lead by example in being fully accepting of players wearing the aforementioned gear in the described manner. Adverse Weather Guidelines Use the flash to bang method to monitor lightning for evacuation of the playing field to a safer environment. With this method the seconds are counted from the time a flash of lightning is seen until a clap of thunder is heard. When this number is 30 seconds or less, evacuation of the field should get under way. Lightning awareness should begin with the first flash of lightning seen or thunder clap heard. Large enclosed structures (substantially constructed buildings) tend to be much safer than smaller or open structures. If the game is inside a stadium, encourage all players and coaches West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 17

18 to go to the dressing rooms. If however, such a building is not available, fully enclosed vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, vans, fully enclosed farm vehicles, etc. with the windows rolled up provide good shelter from lightning. Never stand under trees, in an open field or under an umbrella. The game should not be restarted until 30 minutes after the last clasp of thunder was heard or the last flash of lightning was seen. West Ottawa Soccer Referee Handbook 18

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