In line with its reputation as "the beautiful game," soccer tightly controls the play and conduct of the players on the field. While this leads players to embellish in an effort to draw fouls, the use of different types of penalties helps to discourage both minor and major breaches of the game's rules. The seven sending-off offenses, which are the most severe of these breaches, involve the referee immediately dismissing a player from the field.
Double Caution
One of the most common sending-off offenses is the double caution, which involves a player receiving two cautions, or yellow cards, in the same game. A referee may present a player with a caution for a variety of reasons, including delay of game, entering or leaving the field without the referee's permission, unsporting behavior and arguing with an official. If a player commits a second cautionable offense in the same game, the referee dismisses her from the field after showing her a second yellow card and a red card.
Serious Foul Play
While the double caution involves the use of yellow cards, there are six offenses that may lead an official to immediately show a red card to a player before dismissing him from the field. Sending-off for foul play is at the discretion of the official, who may decide that a certain breach of the rules either warrants a verbal warning, a caution or a red card. As such, a player who receives a yellow card for foul play in one game may be sent off in another if an official deems that offense to be a blatant and serious violation of the rules.
Violence, Spitting and Language
Although a degree of physical contact is part of the game, an official may send a player off for blatantly violent conduct. This involves both direct contact, such as kicking, pushing or violently tackling, and the use of objects, whether thrown or otherwise used to strike an opponent. Two related sending-off offenses are for spitting and the use of offensive, abusive or insulting language or gestures. While opposing players typically are at the receiving end of these offenses, a player can be sent off if any of these offenses is committed against officials, teammates, spectators, coaches or members of the media.
Denying a Goal
The two remaining sending-off offenses involve fouls that deny a goal or goal-scoring opportunity. If an official deems that a player has an obvious chance of scoring a goal or creating a goal-scoring opportunity and an opposing player commits any offense to prevent this, the offending player is immediately dismissed from the field. Potentially more serious is the use of your hands to prevent a goal or goal-scoring opportunity. While a goalkeeper is immune to this within her own penalty area, even she may be sent off if she uses her hands to prevent a goal or goal-scoring opportunity outside the penalty area.
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