Question Number: 18765

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/12/2008

RE: Travel Under 18

Gary Morgan of Culpeper, VA USA asks...

Thanks for all the great work! A question about rules in HS soccer: Last evening, the Blue goalkeeper advanced quickly to the top of the penalty area and punted the ball---too quickly, as the punted ball struck the back of a retreating Red player and fell to the ground. The Blue goalkeeper pounced on the ball and picked it up, but was about 2 yards outside the penalty area. Immediate whistle for handling. Naturally, a mad chaotic scramble to set up the kick and a defensive wall. The referee was signalling an IFK. The shot went just past the wall and missed the goal, out of bounds for a goal kick.

A player asked the referee why it was IFK. Clearly neither team knew it was IFK, assuming DFK, although the ref's raised arm should have clued them in. The ref's answer was that it was unintentional (a mistake by the Blue goalkeeper) and therefore IFK instead of DFK. Is this a weird high school/college rule, or was the ref fudging the rules?

Thank you!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The keeper WAS quilty of the penal foul HANDLES THE BALL DELIBERATELY. It is a DFK (direct free kick) from the spot of the infringment) IF the foul was tactical to prevent attacking play a caution could be in order. IF the foul denied a goal scoring opportunity a send off could be possible. If the referee decided it was not either cautionable or a send off for DOGSO he CANNOT change the restart to an INDFK. This is a misapplication of law and protestable. The referee needs a refresher course and a kick in the keester for failing the match responsibilities. This is basic stuff that ENTRY level officials with only a modicum of the attention span of a gnat can recall.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Not even NFHS messes up the rules this much. Unfortunately, in many areas of the country HS has no authorizing body certifying referees. Is there any wonder that they may mess up as badly as this referee apparently has done?

If it was unintentional - well, there's the first mistake. We don't judge the player's intention, but rather if there was a deliberate act. If it was not deliberate - which I can hardly see if the keeper fell on the ball and grabbed it, that sounds like a deliberate act to me - but if it was not, then there should be no call made at all. If it was a deliberate act, then the resulting free kick should be direct. This referee is fortunate that a goal was not scored and the ball went out for a goal kick. If the ball had gone in the net and the referee denied a goal because he had signalled an indirect kick, the game would have been protestable for misapplication of the Laws.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The keeper has clearly deliberately handled the ball outside his penalty area. Due to the presence of opponents, there is no way this can be deemed trifling so we have a direct free kick foul. How can any referee get this wrong?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Ugh. That's ugly. If it was signalled as an IDFK, and taken, the referee must redo the kick as a DFK, regardless of the outcome, if it is brought to the ref's attention before the next restart. The only possible choice in this circumstance has to be DFK for deliberately handling the ball. Unfortunately, in high school, at least in my state, referee mistakes are not protestable - they stand. All the more reason to have a clearly articulated and practiced training procedure in place - sigh.