A new low in football officiating...

[ncfcog]

Saw a video yesterday showing Probert's face at the time the Leicester player took off his shirt. His reaction said it all, he obviously didn't want to book him but he had no choice.

Imagine if he didn't book him, 5 mins later the player commits another yellow card offence but stays on the field, 5 minutes after that he scores another goal. That extra goal has massive ramifications, not just to the score and the result but also the betting fraternity.

Imagine Probert books him for the shirt offence, which he rightly did, then the second booking offence means he has to leave the field. Leicester are down to 10 men and Cardiff, who are in a season long relegation battle rightly have the chance to rescue something from the game.

Referees will always make mistakes, that's just natural, things can happen in the blink of an eye and they have to make snap decisions, very often the wrong ones, unfortunately this was not one of those situations and Probert did what he is paid to do, regardless of the sentiment involved.

[LaxtonLad]

It's got nothing to do with robots, it's got everything to do with preventing players from wearing undershirts with 'provocative' statements written on them.
In today's Trigger Happy environment you can't be too careful - I remember a player lifting his shirt with 'Free Tibet' on it and a team-mate stood alongside him and revealed 'with every purchase' on his.
Caused a riot.

Nor could you expect a referee to examine the undershirt before making a decision. Before you know where you are players would have pictures of Tracey Barlow or Dot Cotton, or dead pets or pics of their kid's breakfast or a copy of their ASBO. Flippant, I know, but how about political slogans or religous themes. Imagine booking a Muslim for displaying sayings from the Koran while his team-mates have poppies on the front of their jerseys. I'm getting carried away now, sorry.

[drillerpie]

Nor could you expect a referee to examine the undershirt before making a decision. Before you know where you are players would have pictures of Tracey Barlow or Dot Cotton, or dead pets or pics of their kid's breakfast or a copy of their ASBO. Flippant, I know, but how about political slogans or religous themes. Imagine booking a Muslim for displaying sayings from the Koran while his team-mates have poppies on the front of their jerseys. I'm getting carried away now, sorry.

Plenty of Muslims fought for us in WW1 so I can't see a problem with that.

[drillerpie]

As far as I'm aware the rule about taking shirts off is to stop players changing shirts (and therefore numbers) and potentially avoiding cards for repeated fouling or second yellow cards etc. It's a perfectly reasonable rule.

Plus as others have pointed out it's unfair to ask referees to accurately judge the amount of grief or any other emotion a player might be feeling. They're not social workers or probation officers!

[LaxtonLad]

As far as I'm aware the rule about taking shirts off is to stop players changing shirts (and therefore numbers) and potentially avoiding cards for repeated fouling or second yellow cards etc. It's a perfectly reasonable rule.

Plus as others have pointed out it's unfair to ask referees to accurately judge the amount of grief or any other emotion a player might be feeling. They're not social workers or probation officers!

I'm not too sure about that reason, drillerpie. A No6 who has been booked and then scored a goal and "celebrated" by ripping his shirt off then swapped it with No5 who hadn't been booked before the ref noticed (really? The referee, two linesmen, the fourth official, the opposition bench, TV cameras and the nearby crowd didn't see two players swapping shirts??) is highly unlikely. It's definitely risking two more yellow cards and a sending off followed by a reprimand, a warning and possible massive fine and points deduction from the FA. It's hardly worth chancing it.

[drillerpie]

I'm not too sure about that reason, drillerpie. A No6 who has been booked and then scored a goal and "celebrated" by ripping his shirt off then swapped it with No5 who hadn't been booked before the ref noticed (really? The referee, two linesmen, the fourth official, the opposition bench, TV cameras and the nearby crowd didn't see two players swapping shirts??) is highly unlikely. It's definitely risking two more yellow cards and a sending off followed by a reprimand, a warning and possible massive fine and points deduction from the FA. It's hardly worth chancing it.

True but not all football is played in front of TV cameras!

[Notts78]

This was the rule imposed in 2004, may have been updated but is very clear...

Footballers who remove their jerseys during post-goal celebrations are to receive automatic yellow cards. The modification to Law 12, which was approved last February by the International Football Association Board (IFA, will come into effect from 1 July, 2004.

The IFAB, the body responsible for the Laws of the Game, decided to add a detail to Law 12 relating to 'Fouls and Misconduct', stating: "A player who removes his jersey after scoring a goal will be cautioned for unsporting behaviour."

So as to avoid any ambiguities and facilitate the correct interpretation and application of the Law, a player will be deemed to have removed his jersey - and therefore become liable for a caution - if the jersey has been pulled over the player's head, or if his head has been covered by the jersey (see illustration - Removal of the jersey guidelines ).

Under the section "Additional Instructions for Referees and Assistant Referees", the Laws clearly state: "Removing one's shirt after scoring is unnecessary and players should avoid such excessive displays of joy."

This decision was agreed on at the 118th Annual Meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFA on 28 February 2004 in London, and will come into effect on 1 July this year.

[Old_pie]

This was the rule imposed in 2004, may have been updated but is very clear...

Footballers who remove their jerseys during post-goal celebrations are to receive automatic yellow cards. The modification to Law 12, which was approved last February by the International Football Association Board (IFA, will come into effect from 1 July, 2004.

The IFAB, the body responsible for the Laws of the Game, decided to add a detail to Law 12 relating to 'Fouls and Misconduct', stating: "A player who removes his jersey after scoring a goal will be cautioned for unsporting behaviour."

So as to avoid any ambiguities and facilitate the correct interpretation and application of the Law, a player will be deemed to have removed his jersey - and therefore become liable for a caution - if the jersey has been pulled over the player's head, or if his head has been covered by the jersey (see illustration - Removal of the jersey guidelines ).

Under the section "Additional Instructions for Referees and Assistant Referees", the Laws clearly state: "Removing one's shirt after scoring is unnecessary and players should avoid such excessive displays of joy."

This decision was agreed on at the 118th Annual Meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFA on 28 February 2004 in London, and will come into effect on 1 July this year.

So:

1) Savvy players can lift their shirts up to display a message with impunity
2) And if there is no joy in their actions it is all null and void anyway

[Bushwacka]

As tragic as it has been for those connected to the club and family of the helicopter victims, I can't see why this has prompted so much more coverage and calls for leniency than the many other times in the past players have been booked for similar personal tributes (many which were probably much more personally tragic than this, if we're honest).

[nottscol]

According to reports on Sky Soccer Saturday Leicester City's Demarai Gray scores at Cardiff, prompting him to take off his shirt amidst entirely understandable, highly emotional scenes.

Referee Lee Probert books him.

I don't care what the rule book says. If officials on the pitch, and off it, do not have the intelligence or courage to apply common sense in that situation, they don't deserve to be in charge of this game called football. It's OUR game, not theirs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46087195