The ATR and Outside Agents

[PVancouver]

The Laws of the Game and the USSF Advice to Referees appear to be inconflict concerning Outside Agents:

ATR: 1.8 DEALING WITH APPURTENANCES TO THE FIELD AND OUTSIDE AGENTS

(d) Outside agent
Tradition and common usage are very strong in soccer. Nowhere is this more true than in the definition of "outside agent." An "outside agent" (under any portion of the Laws of the Game) is anything that enters the field without the permission of the referee and plays or misdirects the ball or otherwise interferes with the game. This means that substitutes can be outside agents in some cases, as can dogs or coaches or spectators. Interference by an outside agent and the ball or players will result in the referee declaring a stoppage of play, restarting with a dropped ball where the ball was when play was stopped*. See Advice 3.17-3.20, 9.2, 10.7 and 14.7 for further guidance on dealing with outside interference. If the interference is by a substitute who has entered the field of play without the permission of the referee, the restart is an indirect free kick where the ball was when play was stopped*. The kick is taken after the substitute is cautioned and shown the yellow card.

LOTG: Extra persons on the field of play

Outside Agents
Anyone not indicated on the team list as a player, substitute or team official is deemed to be an outside agent as is a player who has been sent off.

If an outside agent enters the field of play:
• the referee shall stop play (although not immediately if the outside agent does not interfere with play)
• the referee shall have him removed from the field of play and its immediate surroundings
• if the referee stops the match, he shall restart play with a dropped ball in the position where the ball was at the time when the match was stopped. * (see page 3)

CONFLICT: The LOTG state by exclusion that players, substitutes and team officials are not “outside agents”. Players (and presumably substitutes or substituted players) who have been sent-off are outside agents. The Additional Instructions detail how field entry and interference from outside agents, team officials, players off the field of play with permission, and substitutes or substituted players are to be handled.

[refmike]

There is no conflict. An outside agent is ANYTHING or ANYONE who enters the field without referee permission and interfers with play. The only thing special is that the restart is different if the outside agent is a member of one of the teams who knows or is supposed to know that they may not enter the field without permission. Then we switch from a dropped ball to an IFK.

[refereejoe]

I actually agree with PV on this one. Although not terribly consequential, the ATR referring to active players or substitutes as "outside agents" is indeed not accurate.

Outside agents have always been those things that are not participants of the game (hence, "outside"). If a substitute enters the field to interfere, play is not being stopped because an outside agent has affected the game. It is being stopped to deal with the misconduct of a substitute entering the pitch without permission from the referee.

All stoppages due to outside agents are restarted with a dropped ball. All stoppages due solely to misconduct are restarted with an indirect free kick. There is a very large difference between these, and the ATR should acknowledge this.

[DadOf6]

I actually agree with PV on this one. Although not terribly consequential, the ATR referring to active players or substitutes as "outside agents" is indeed not accurate.

Outside agents have always been those things that are not participants of the game (hence, "outside"). If a substitute enters the field to interfere, play is not being stopped because an outside agent has affected the game. It is being stopped to deal with the misconduct of a substitute entering the pitch without permission from the referee.

All stoppages due to outside agents are restarted with a dropped ball. All stoppages due solely to misconduct are restarted with an indirect free kick. There is a very large difference between these, and the ATR should acknowledge this.

Except that if play is stopped for misconduct committed by a player off of the field of play, or by a substitute, or by team officials, the restart is a dropped ball taken at the place where the ball was when play was stopped.

[refereejoe]

Well, right. I don't know how that is an "except," as the discussion pertained to actions committed on the field of play by things not supposed to be there. But, you are still correct :)