Question Number: 13081

Character, Attitude and Control 6/19/2006

RE: Competive Adult

Joe Regan of Somerville, MA USA asks...

A player is in on goal and gets the keeper to dive for the ball about 6 or 8 yards out. When the keeper goes to ground he tries to kick the ball over his head into the goal. The ball hits off the crossbar and comes back looping in the air. Another attacking player follows up and attempts to volley the ball into the goal. At this point the keeper is back up on his "knees" not standing and is facing the goal and proceeeds to catch the ball out of the air. The attacking player that is follwing trying to volley the ball into the goal does not see him as he is watching the ball in the air and accidently kicks him in the back of the head (remember the keeper is on his knees and facing into his own goal). Should the result: 1 : No call. 2: A free to the keeper and the attacking player cautioned with a yellow card 3: A free and a red card ..
Thanks
Joe

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This is something the referee must determine on the match at that instant in time. He needs to evaluate if the kick or attempt to kick is accidental [no call], careless [direct free kick], reckless [direct free kick and a caution for unsporting behavior] or excessively forceful [direct free kick and a sending-off for serious foul play]. To make that determination without seeing the events leading up to the incident is nearly impossible.

Given what you ask, what should the referee do if an opponent is accidentally kicked? He should, initially, do nothing because this is not foul play. If the goalkeeper appears seriously injured he should stop play, evaluate the seriousness of the supposed injury then either allow the physio to attend to the keeper or restart play with a dropped ball.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

All depends on the scenario. The referee must make a decision based on whether or not he perceives the kick as careless (dfk for keeper), reckless (yellow card and dfk for keeper), or with excessive force (red card and dfk for keeper). As Mr. Fleischer said it could very well have been the keepers fault for putting himself in that awkward position as well so the kicking could be deemed as accidental (no call). The referee should stop play though if he believes the keeper is severely injured and allow a dr onto the field. Restart then is a drop ball where the ball was when play stopped. As Always,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Joe,
every contact between players even if accidental could have at least careless aspects about it. Your version has elements of reckless or excessive qualities and mistaking a head for a ball is no small matter. If a keeper has posession of the ball ANY attacker must make every effort to avoide contact. While it is is concievable the keeper initiated the incident I still have STRONG feelings that the attacker is not really innocent of wrong doing here! In any challenge for the ball must be tempered with the respect for the well being of an opponent. Yes, occassionaly accidents will occur with no blame or fault placed, rare but possible just not likely. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

I mulled over my response on this one for quite some time. I concur with ALL of the comments provided above. What I will add here is that we, as referees, can only base our decisions on what we SEE. From the sequence of events that we see we must make a determination as to whether or not contact such as that you describe qualifies as reckless, etc., or accidental. I have had many a player claim "innocence" and yet based on what I observed felt a call was warranted. One comment that I have made to players, and that they have responded well too, has been "well, this is what it looked like to me...." followed by the appropriate clarification. Most often, when they understand how the event LOOKED they can understand the call. Of course, this approach hasn't worked all the time but it has been successful more times than not. My personal opinion is that if a keeper gets kicked in the head then I will be hard pressed NOT to make a call - I have a difficult time envisioning something like this as not having some aspect of carelessness too it. I'm sure that it can happen, it's just a stretch for me to get there. All the best,