Bookings to stand ?

[Scotty]

It was mentioned in the matchday thread, but its worthy of its own topic ..... I see the bookings from Friday night's abandoned game in Dingwall are to stand !!! How the hell can that be right?

 

The BBC live stream named 3 County players booked (although the online report only shows 2) as well as 2 ICT players:

 

ICT: Gary Warren (4)

ICT: Ross Draper (42)

RCFC: Melvin De Leeuw (42)
RCFC: Michael Kovacevic (42)
RCFC: Kevin Luckassen (45)

 

Terry is doing his nut about it on behalf of both teams (see BBC link here) but it just seems really (REALLY!) stupid ! If the match does not exist in terms of the league standings or points, nor as player appearances in the SPFL stats, then how can it exist in terms of bookings? Would goals have counted in our F/A column? (the answer is no), Its not like the replayed fixture will resume for a 45 minute second half so both clubs will have played 38½ games from a disciplinary point of view at the end of the season but 38 from every other point of view.

 

I know straight red cards in friendlies (and reserve games) are carried forward, but those games exist whereas this game technically does not exist, (and had no red cards) so why is this stupid stupid rule in place.

 

Maybe if its an SFA rule (discipline being their remit) the SPFL could rescind all 5 yellows and put an end to this anomaly?

[Bush]

Totally agree with what you've said Scotty.

Also, unless my recollections are wrong, I had a feeling that there were more bookings than you've noted - perhaps Shinnie &/or Foran? Maybe others can correct me on this?

[+Fraz]

Scottish football authorities, not well known for their logical approach.

[+DoofersDad]

I suppose the rationale is that if a player committed the sort of horrendous offence which would see him getting a season long ban or worse e.g kicking an opponent in the head whilst they were on the floor, the SFA could not ignore that sort of behaviour and let it go unpunished. The SFA presumably take the view that in such cases a red card would have to stand.  They then follow that through to say that as a player getting two yellow cards gets a red card, that yellow cards also have to stand.  That is failed logic in my view.

 

Let us suppose that a player handles the ball in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the ball going in the net and gets sent off and then the game is abandoned.  That would mean the player would have a record of having a red card for an incident related to a goal which officially didn't exist.  Serious behaviour which warrants punishment can surely be dealt with as a result of the contents of the referee's report irrespective of whether a player technically has a red card or not.

 

Presumably it is too much to expect a bit of commonsense to be applied here. 

[CaleyD]

What gets me is that the SFA rules are out of line with FIFA.

 

FIFA Disciplinary Code

(FDC)

 

PAGE 19

 

ARTICLE 17 Caution

 

1. A caution (yellow card) is a warning from the referee to a player during a match to sanction unsporting behaviour of a less serious nature (cf. Law 12 of the Laws of the Game).

2. Two cautions received during the same match incur an expulsion (indirect red card) and, consequently, automatic suspension from the next match (cf. art. 18 par. 4). The two cautions that incurred the red card are rescinded.

3. If a player receives a caution in two separate matches of the same FIFA competition, he is automatically suspended from the next match in that competition. The Disciplinary Committee may exceptionally depart from or amend this rule before the start of a particular competition. Any such decision reached by the Disciplinary Committee is final.

4. If an abandoned match is to be replayed, any caution issued during that match shall be annulled. If the match is not to be re-played, the cautions received by the team responsible for causing the match to be abandoned are upheld; if both teams are responsible, all of the cautions are upheld.

5. If a player is guilty of serious unsporting behaviour as defi ned in Law 12 of the Laws of the Game and is sent off (direct red card), any other caution he has previously received in the same match is upheld.

 

Link to Full Document : http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/50/02/75/discoinhalte.pdf

Says 2011 Edition, which is the latest available and the one linked to on the FIFA site.

[+bughtmaster]

farcical

[Alex MacLeod]

Both clubs should appeal jointly citing the FIFA rules and argueing that associations should be following world rules.