As referees we strive to raise our game to meet the competitive level of each match.  Two important aspects are recognition of persistent infringement and having the courage to issue second cautions and send off a player for receiving the second caution in the same match. 

The game referee should maintain an ongoing database of information during each match, including:

• Players involved and player reactions
• Frequency of the fouls
• Time of the offenses

Persistent infringement (PI) is categorized into two areas:

• Players who repeatedly commit fouls

There are several reasons why players persistently foul opponents … lack of skill, to disrupt play, over-aggressiveness, and intimidation … all of which must be dealt with to maintain game control.  The result of PI is increased frustration levels and intensity of the match, leading to dissent and retaliation.  Therefore, it is key to pick the appropriate time to caution the culprit for PI.  While there is no magic number of fouls that define persistence, most officials use 3 as their basis for determining PI.  In addition to the number of fouls, we need to consider the severity of the fouls, the time between the fouls committed, and the atmosphere of the game.  The game report should identify that Player A1 was cautioned for persistently infringing on the Rules/Laws of the Game (PI).

• Players who are repeatedly fouled

Often an individual skillful play maker is the target of repeated fouls from multiple players, but PI can also arise from multiple players fouling multiple opponents (such as persistent patterns of holding or shirt pulling to disrupt play).  Referees need to evaluate the number and nature of fouls committed against the opponent(s) as well as the time span of the fouls (3 fouls in 3 minutes versus fouls in the 3rd, 41st, and 78th minutes).  In this case any cautions issued would be categorized as Unsporting Behavior (USB) in the Game Report.

• Referees should consider the following when evaluating PI:
  • Read the game tactically.
  • Be aware of and protect creative players.
  • Be aware of destructive tactics aimed at destroying the flow of the match.
  • Be aware of the time span of the fouls.
  • Issue cautions as needed to eliminate destructive influences and promote the beautiful game of soccer.