OCT 2016 YOU CALL IT Q&A

mrref

QUESTION
Red attacker is in on a breakaway on the blue goal when a blue trainer warming up blue substitutes behind the blue goal inadvertently kicks a ball onto the field knocking the game ball away but the new ball is knocked into the goal. The referee stops play to confront the trainer, who pleads it was an accident as he miskicked it. The referee awards the goal and warns the trainer to move away from near the goal. Both teams were satisfied. In your opinion was this the way to handle this situation ? Your Match. Your Decision. Your Reputation.


OUR ANSWER
Ok so most were aware we are not permitted under the LOTG to award a goal.
Yet we know this is a situation where tempers are going to be ignited. So to arbitrarily award the goal and move the training seminar away might work in the recreational fields of," Who is truly monitoring what we are doing?", but you would not pass any assessment at any level if you did so. So too in not thinking ahead and ensuring the teams' warm ups are away from the goal areas

If we are under the impression that ball on ball incident, even IF accidental, has DOGSO criteria all over it, there is going to be some ruffled feathers . We are not permitted to show cards to team officials although these same team officials can be warned and expelled as well as responsible for INDFK and DFK a new wrinkle that fits fair play expectations.

The fact is it could be just an accident, we COULD considered the extra ball as an outside agent which is a drop ball (subject to special circumstances within the goal area).
Given how the current LOTG are written IF we think this was deliberate an INDFK restart (subject to special circumstances within the goal area) with the trainer dismissed.

The new LOTG cover if a team official enters and if a team official tosses something on to the field at a player but this is a KICK of a ball not a tossing so it can hardly be handling and a DFK? The trainer did not actually enter the FOP so no DFK for that. The FAIR PLAY aspect COULD be deemed as appropriate by the defending team and allow a shot at the goal or no contest at the drop ball but THAT is THEIR decision NOT the referee. NOTE under the new LOTG the ball CAN NOT be directed or dribbled into the goal by a single player on a drop ball . The ball must touch ANY two players and OFFSIDE criteria could apply.

I can tell you with authority, I have been informed that FIFA has already looked at this situation and in the future an amendment will be done that includes kicking the ball, interference and the involvement of team officials and others. So well done to those who took a chance on answering. Cheers
Some of your responses that

Jim Menter
Haverhill
MA
USA
Referee

You can not award a goal on that play. Not sure what level it is but the trainer should be dismissed and an indirect kick should be at the spot where the balls collided. If there was sportsmanship, the defense would step to the side for the kick.

Russell
Sydney
Australia
Referee

No goal. Stop play. Offer a few encouraging words to the trainer. Drop ball restart. We do not know how far from goal this incident is – just that the 'new' ball entered the goal – suggesting reasonably close. Nor do we know the direction the exact direction the ball is moving in ("breakaway on goal" only implies a general direction). While the new rules advise that 'Fair play' becomes a factor in determining if a goal should be allowed when an outside agent is involved (and in particular in instances where a goal is likely to be scored if there is no outside agent matter to tend too) what we do not know in this instance is if the match ball was heading into the goal before the 'knock'. Without that detail, I'd suggest only a 'stop play and restart with a drop ball' at the applicable location. If the 'knock' happened outside the goal area, the drop ball restart is at the location of the 'knock'. If inside the goal area, then the drop ball restart is subject to standard Goal Area conditions.

Barry Stewart
Chilliwack
BC
Canada
Referee

Sheesh! The new Laws were supposed to clean up the language -- but I would say the top of page 48 is about as muddy as it can get. There is no clarification between which ball they are talking about: the extra ball or the game ball. In the situation described in the question: it cannot be a goal, as the GAME ball has not completely crossed the line between the goalpost. It may please both teams in a low-level match but it does not hold up to the Laws of the game. A sporting work-around could be for the defending captain to get his team to step aside and allow him to play the drop-ball to the player who had been on the breakaway and allow him a recreation of his chance. This is up to the players, though. It would be refreshing to see -- but I wouldn't count on it. (Defender would need to first touch the ball, so attacker could score as second-touch.) Restart: drop ball where the ball was when the whistle blew or on the 6 yard line, straight out from the spot, if the ball was inside the 6 yard box

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