After the first half has ended, a player argues with the referee, verbally protesting against a referee’s decision made earlier in the match. This occurs while both the player and referee are outside the field of play, heading towards the tunnel. What is the correct procedure in this situation?

THE DECISION

According to Law 5, the referee has the power to show cards during the half-time interval. Therefore, the player must be cautioned (yellow card) for dissent. If the card is shown off the field of play, the referee must inform both teams and, where appropriate, ensure that an announcement is made to spectators before the second half begins.