Question Number: 14695

Law 16 - Goal Kick 1/14/2007

RE: AYSO - Advanced Adult

Michael Yancey of Redlands, California USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 9727

This a question regarding the follow-up [12957] response to 9727. Chuck Fleischer raises an interesting question about the restart of play. Does the ref allow restart of play or does the keeper just restart on his own? If there are still attackers in the PA when the keeper takes a goal kick then the conditions for a correct restart have not been met and I would stop play and have the gk retaken. At this time if I am made aware of a foul downfield as in the situation proposed by Richard Dawson I could deal with it as necessary since play has not been properly restarted. But - suppose a foul has taken place downfield as proposed by Richard Dawson and because there were no attackers in the PA at the time (or they have quickly left the area in retreat) the keeper has taken the gk. Must this be considered a proper restart of play as all the required conditions for a gk have been met according to Law 16? If this is the case how can the VC be dealt with that I am subsequently made aware of after the proper restart of play?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mike,
the referee allows the restart, in the case you site, he authorised it, thus as incorrect as it was he who told the keeper it was ok.

Misconduct that occurs is never out of play unless it was seen by the referee and not acted upon. If an AR or 4th reports misconduct associated with a missed foul in behind play even if a restart occurred in the interim.

The Zidane incident an obvious one where he was sent off even though a French restart had occurred upfield from where the head butt occurred.

A referee CANNOT change his mind on things he knows and has acted upon. The restart cannot be changed but the misconduct can still be punished as it was not yet addressed. A referee can still act on the misconduct reported AFTER an event seen only by his ARs or 4th.

While we encourage teams to restart quickly if tactically it could be a good idea the referee is the one who allows it. If he makes a mistake in allowing an improper restart and play is allowed to continue and there is reason NOT to allow that restart for something UNSEEN, if the communication procedures are caught in limbo.

A blue player punches the red player on the far touchline seen by the trailing AR just a few seconds before the ball goes out of play for a blue throw on the other side far end . The near AR and referee are aware at that moment only of play a restart throw in appeared to be correct. If the throw in was taken quickly and as the referee looks over to the trail AR, sees a flag waving madly he stops play and only then gets the information about the VC BEFORE the throw in!

At the elite level radio communications, if working, will possibly prevent this, a loud yelling AR at the grass roots might also work is it fair to not have a DFK for that strike which occurred moments ago? If it was a PK inside the PA? If we take an INDFK offence inside the PA that is wrongly granted a PK status and a goal results and that information comes to light before the kick off we can disallow the goal as the restart was not for what play had been stopped!

Every error in procedure or missed communications makes it that much more difficult to rectify a mistake. Sometimes we must live with the error and likely a protest will result with a replay possible or a result over turned. The handbag incident between Lehmen and Drogba recently shows what creative solutions are arrived at by an officiating staff to maintain match equilibrium.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

LOTG state that the goal kick is retaken if attackers are inside penalty area at time of kick. Also, the referee has not restarted play so if the team quickly takes the goal kick, the call can still be changed.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

I look at this problem in the same light as a quickly taken free kick in the outfield, it is done at the kicker's peril. If the opponents are successful in intercepting the ball and are closer than the 9,15 meters then I will intervene on behalf of the kicker. If no attempt to get to the ball is successful then I am not going to take away the quick restart, it is allowed. Same with the 9727 case. In the 12957 case a restart of play is going to happen if the referee DOES NOT prevent it, in other words if the referee doesn't object to the ball being kicked and moved play has started.

Regards,