Question Number: 14459

Law 5 - The Referee 11/17/2006

RE: Rec Under 9

Dan R. of Wernersville, PA USA asks...

During my last game of the year and the last few minutes of that game, my GK was struck with the ball in his face and he went down and the ball went back into play. My defensive players and a different attacker were going after the ball and the new attacker then scored because my GK was still on the ground face first. The parents of the GK were upset because the referee did not stop play but I explained to them about the "advantage rule" and the the referee did the right thing. The father brought up two points that I had not heard of before and I told him that I would get clarification and that is why I am here. He stated that since a different attacker went after the ball and then scored then the goal should not be counted. He also stated that since the only direction the ball would be played would be towards his son and this could lead to a safety issue. Both of his points had merit but I am not sure what the "Laws of the Game" state in a situation like that. Any insight would be helpful.

Regards,

Dan R.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

You cannot stop play here unless you belive keeper is severly injured. If he just got hit in the face, you most likely must wait until ball leaves field. The age level will make a difference here. The LOTG backed you up in your decision to let play continue and would have had you chosen to stop play too. It is a horse a piece! If you stop play, then the attacking team is mad. If you do not, the defending team is mad.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

At this age the referee should consider stopping play when a player is hit in the head/face by anything. There are referees that will argue there is no goalkeeper when the one on the field is incapacitated for some reason or another.

You might want to rethink your use of the advantage rule in cases such as this because advantage has nothing to do with a player being injured. Advantage means the referee allows play to continue when the opponent has given a foul that failed to do what was wanted, stop things. The referee stopping things does exactly as the defender wanted to do but was unsuccessful in doing.

Here, what the referee is faced with is determining if a player is seriously injured or not. If the injury is serious the referee must stop play and see to treatment for the injured player. If the injury is not serious play will continue until the next stoppage and then the player is attended to. Granted, at age 7 and 8 pretty much everything is going to bring tears and concerned Moms onto the field so stopping play is really something we are going to do. As players age they accept more and more thumps and play through them until they figure out referees will stop play and investigate almost any player screaming bloody murder and feigning injury. Those guys get cautions insetad of band-aids.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The father's first point is nonsense. But, for crying out loud!!! These are 8 and 9 year old kids! A child just got smacked in the face with the ball and went down face first and the referee applied advantage!?!? Where in the world was he taught that? Safety is the first and most important job of the referee especially at this age. Play should have been stopped immediately. Who cares if a goal could have been scored when you have a 9 year old face down on the soccer field needing attention.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

First your concept of advantage is seriously flawed, there is NEVER advantage applied to an injury situation! If the injury is severe enough for us to be concerned we stop play! I ask are you ok, can you continue? If I think the player can shake it off in a few seconds or I can tell by his reactions and verbal expressions that it hurt but he is not really hurt I will allow play to continue.

The parents point about secondary player has no significance other then if a ball deflected in directly off the face of the keeper on the initial shot we might allow a goal as our whistle would have to be very quick if we determined the injury as serious .

His secondary point about SAFTEY is the only issue we need to discuss here

I concur with my colleagues if there was or is a serious concern for an injured player /keeper a referee must be quick to recognize this if and when it occurs. A forceful ball to the head at this age level is cause for concern. Was if full frontal or glancing off the cheek? Was it a snap back the neck and laid out down on the ground with bleeding nose or a slow collapse and watery eyes? At U9 I think the whistle goes before secondary play could create another scoring opportunity. If the ball deflected right into the goal I could see it as a good goal if my whistle was not blaring because of the impact screamed STOP play now!

law 5 the referee

stops the match if, in his opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that he is removed from the field of play. An injured player may only return to the field of play after the match has restarted;

allows play to continue until the ball is out of play if a player is, in his opinion, only slightly injured;

Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 14482