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US Soccer’s updated Referee Abuse Prevention Policy (Policy 531-9) is designed to make youth and amateur matches more safe, more fun, and more empowering for everyone involved.  The updated policy includes clear examples and consequences of misconduct.

Learn more about the US Soccer Referee Abuse Prevention Policy

Key points:

• Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience soccer without risking his or her well-being. 
• We must protect those in service to the game.
• Both physical and non-physical abuse have no place in our game.
• Suspensions will be for a number of games or time-based (or sometimes both) depending on severity and circumstance.
• Players, coaches, and spectators are all encouraged to report abuse.

When you as a referee are involved in an abuse situation…
1.    Your first call should be to your referee assignor.
2.    Complete your game report as usual.
3.    Submit a MDCVASRP Referee Abuse Report online.
4.    Your Area Referee Administrator will contact you to discuss the incident and next steps.
5.    Email the SRP Office if you do not hear from your ARA within 48 hours.
6.    We strive to resolve referee abuse incidents within 30 days.
7.    Additional information on processing and adjudicating referee abuse incidents is included within the Referee Abuse Report.

Posted March 13, 2025

Regional and higher level referees can use headsets for communication among the referees.

Referees below the Regional level (Grassroots Referees) are not authorized to use headsets.  It is important for referees to develop game management communication skills before using headsets.

Tournament/competition authorities are not authorized to waive this policy.

Posted April 20, 2023

US Soccer published a new position paper on, "Denying a goal or obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO)."

This paper clarifies that a send-off (Red Card) is warranted when a goalkeeper commits a foul outside of the penalty area and the goal is unprotected. In recent high-profile games, referees have been penalizing with a caution (Yellow Card) for Stopping a Promising Attack (SPA).  

Posted: June 6, 2021

The MDCVASRP Policy Manual received significant updates in April 2021.  Look for it under the Resources tab.

Posted April 28, 2021

SafeSport training for adult referees does not run concurrently with your referee license - it expires one year from the date you most recently completed SafeSport training. 

Referees with expired SafeSport training are disqualified from officiating, so complete the free 20-minute online refresher before your SafeSport expires to maintain your referee license.   

Referees turning 18 this year will complete the SafeSport core course online after their 18th birthday.   

Our new MDCVASRP website is supported by volunteers like you.  We are committed to making this website valuable and informative for everyone in our program.  Please contribute your ideas by clicking here.

Modified Nov 4, 2020