Question Number: 25070

Law 5 - The Referee 6/6/2011

RE: House League Under 15

Annika of Bowmanville, Ontario asks...

if for some reason you (the ref) is near the goal net and the ball hits off you and goes in is it a good goal? or should you say it is no goal and give the goalie a goal kick? please help

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Unfortuantely, if the ball hits the referee then play continues. This means that if the ball strikes the referee and goes into the goal, it's a goal - however, you also need to consider all other requirements for a goal.

For instance, a goal still can't be scored from a throw in, an indirect free kick or a team's own goal kick. Hitting the referee doesn't change the fact it's come from one of those, as the referee is basically considered to be a field object.

If the referee has this happen, then the question needs to be asked - why was the referee there? Could the referee have been in a better position that didn't involve getting in the way of play?

We've all been struck by the ball or had players run into us - each time it happens though it's worth considering whether you've been caught out of position or not.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Annika
The referee is part of the field of play and play continues when the ball strikes him/her. In the unfortunate situation where the ball hits the referee and enters the goal the referee has no choice but to award the goal.
It is something that should not happen and referees should position themselves so that is not possible or at least extremely difficult.
In this clip this rare event indeed happened and it is due to the poor positioning of the referee in front of goal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpx80-blGBY

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The referee is part of the field. While the referee should stay out of the way of the ball, if what you describe happens, it's a goal.