Question Number: 19181

Law 5 - The Referee 5/23/2008

RE: Select Under 14

Ron of Cincinnati, Ohio USA asks...

Red is attacking on Blue's goal with play at the top of Blue's penalty area. A Blue player gets kicked in the ankle and goes down at his own 18, in the middle of the field. As he does, his team clears the ball out of touch on the left side of the field. The CR is facing the left touch line, unaware of the injured player behind him. Red takes the throw-in, completes a pass or two and with the injured player still laying on the field, but a few yards away from active play, shoots and scores. The CR allows the goal. Needless to say, Blue's coaches and parents are not amused.

The lead AR was also behind the CR's back and would have been unable to inform the CR of the injured player. The trail AR (me) was also some distance away from the CR's field of view. It's possible I could have signaled but I didn't realize that the CR was unaware of the injured player.

In our half time discussion, we all agreed that there was an error in our mechanics that created an unfair situation for Blue. The injured player was not interfering with play but had he not been laying on the field, he may have been able to prevent the shot on goal. But we couldn't think of any basis in the LOTG for disallowing the goal. Moreover, we couldn't think of anything we could reasonably have done mechanically that might have prevented the situation.

Suggestions?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Let us first remember that per 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" and "allows play to continue until the ball is out of play if a player is, in his opinion, only slightly injured". Depending on the nature of the kick, had the referee seen it, it may have been correct to allow play to continue. (In this game at the stoppage, there should have been an opportunity for the player to be attended to or allowed off the field, before the throw-in was taken.) The fact that one player is temporarily out of commission doesn't make the situation inherently unfair, so we shouldn't dwell on the "what-if's". My latest pet peeve is coaches who call out to players, "If you're hurt, go down!" Hey coach, if the player can't even tell if she's injured without your prompting, she's not seriously injured in my mind. We'll keep playing until a stoppage, or maybe I'll swing by and tell her that if she wants, she can go off the field for treatment.

If the ref doesn't see it and has his back to the lead AR (something that should generally be avoided, by the way), what is to prevent the AR from calling out to the ref by name to get his attention? That doesn't look the best, but it is far better than leaving a truly injured player to writhe in agony.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Moral of story: EVERY time the ball goes out of play take a moment to scan the field and check in with your ARs - it just takes a second or two. Makes for fewer nasty surprises, lets you know where the players are headed, allows you to figure out where you need to be next, reveals subs wanting in, etc. As a very fine referee I know comments, such habitual checking raises your situational awareness of the game, the players, the field and your own team and allows you as the referee or even as the AR to do a much better job.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Please consider the ball goes from the play to touch and from touch into play. As a referee you should use correct terminology...

Regards,