Question Number: 16796

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/19/2007

RE: High School Adult

Mimi of Depauw, IN USA asks...

Is a goalkeeper allowed to yell (snarling, barking, etc.) when charging an oncoming player trying to shoot the ball?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mimi,
useless gibberish or extreme screams designed to unnerve or irritate an opponent have no real place in the game and in the opinion of the referee if he belives this is occuring and the opponent is unfairly affected. An indfk restart with either a caution show a yellow card or possibly INDFK and show the red card for an offence punishable by a free kick that has denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If the referee believes the keeper is disadvantaging his opponent by doing this, it would be construed as unsporting behavior. However, if the attacker was one on one with the keeper, the wise referee might not blow his whistle to punish the misconduct if there's an immediate goal scoring opportunity thus giving the attacker a chance to score. If the referee decides to punish the misconduct immediately he could award an indirect free kick and show the yellow card for usb or send off the keeper for preventing an obvious goal scoring opportunity by comminting an offence against an opponent moving towrds the goal that results in a free kick. The red card would be shown and the restart would still be an indirect free kick.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If what the keeper is yelling is, in the opinion of the referee, designed to "put off" the attacker it's unsporting behaviour and a cautionable offence. The restart of play is indirect free kick. The huge deal is that if this done and it denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity it is a sending off offence! Few referees know this. perhaps as low as 2 of 100, perhaps less.

Regards,

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

See Question: 17607