Question Number: 25614

Law 5 - The Referee 10/17/2011

RE: Select Under 12

Joe of Marysville, Ohio USA asks...

Ball is in the penalty area. Goal keeper makes play on the ball in penatly area and is injured in the attempt. No blood is visible but goalie is laying face down in penalty area, but outiside goalie box. Play is allowed to continue for approx 10 seconds till opposing scored a goal. Goalie did return to the game latter on in the half. At this age group should play have been allowed to continue with this type of injury or should the ref stopped play then resumed play with a drop ball on the goal line?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Joe
It depends on what the referee saw. A player lying prostrate face down on the ground is usually a sign of serious injury and play should be stopped at this age group. If the referee does not see the 'injured' player nor is his attention drawn to the situation then it is difficult to stop play if the last action is a shot that enters the goal.
If play is stopped the restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I hate to say it, but even at this tender age some goalkeepers may have developed the 'skill' of faking an injury to halt play. If the referee saw what happened and didn't think the goalkeeper was hurt, he shouldn't stop play.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

I can't second guess the referee's judgment to allow play to continue for another ten seconds in a competitive U12 match. That the goalkeeper later returned to play is confirmation that the injury was not serious. In my opinion, however, it is the nature of the injury and the age/skill level of the players that matters, not the position as keeper.

I make the decision based on what happened before the player went down. If there is any question of a head or chest injury, I will stop play instantly. At all amateur ages and levels. If I know it is a sprained ankle, a bumped knee or something clearly not a serious injury, I may wait a few seconds to see if the other team can score, but then stop play. Otherwise, I will give players some time to a few seconds to see if they will get up on their own. They almost always do. I then make sure I talk to them and see how they are doing.

Around U16, players tend to stay down on the ground as a form of protest for what they perceive as an uncalled foul against them. It's maddening to stop play for what I thought might be a serious knee injury only to find that the player just wants to dissent.

My experience is that children under 10 usually need a parent to tell them that they are not hurt and that they can get up. I am more likely to stop play immediately and allow the coach/parent to check on the child.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I'm sorry but I'll have to disagree with everyone here. You have an 11 or 12 year old child lying face down on the soccer field. There may be no blood but for all we know the child could have been unconscious.

My opinion? Of course you stop play immediately and make sure this young child is ok. If you get fooled by a 12 year old skilled enough at cheating to feign an injury, so be it. Far better to err on the side of caution than allow play to continue with a potential serious injury to a very young child.

Dropped ball would be where the ball was when play was stopped. If the ball was inside the goal area, spot would be the outer boundary line of the goal area (the 6 yard line on a regulation sized field) not the goal line.