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Question Number: 28934Law 5 - The Referee 11/2/2014RE: Adult David M of Gloucester, Uk asks...Team A are attacking. Team B player puts pass back to Team B Keeper. Team B keeper picks up the ball and the Ref gives a free kick in the box. Team B then bring to the Refs attention that his assistant is on the ground near the half way line clearly in pain. The Physio is called on and the game stops. The injury is bad and the assistant has to be replaced by the 4th official. Team A expect the Ref to honour the decision of a free kick in the box to restart the game, instead he gives an uncontested drop ball and Team B keeper clears the ball. Team A are not amused! Media wonder if Ref forgot his earlier decision. I don't know for sure but suspect Ref was correct as the back pass took place while the linesman was down. What do you think? Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol While the AR was probably incapacitated before play was stopped, that wasn't the reason for the stoppage. The referee should restart for the reason play was stopped - the keeper deliberately handling the ball after it was kicked to him by a teammate. I suspect what happened in this case is that Team B's keeper saw the AR was down and took it upon himself to grab the ball and let the ref know about the AR. The keeper explained his reasons, and the ref invented a way out. Good sentiments, but not the proper way to handle things. Remember incidents of field invasions where a player took it upon himself to wrestle the intruder to the ground, rather than waiting for security to handle it? And then the player is sent off for violent conduct. Players can't take matters into their own hands that are not their responsibility. Likewise referees cannot bend the Laws to the point of breaking. Team A, having been given a free kick under questionable circumstances, should have simply tapped the ball back to the goalkeeper. It would have the same effect as the dropped ball, but stay within the Laws. Of course Team A cannot be made to do this, but should be willing to do so in the spirit of Fair Play.
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View Referee Gary Voshol profileAnswer provided by Referee Richard Dawson The LOTG are designed to accommodate most situations that arise yet they do not cover every eventuality! Some restarts must reflect the essence of fair play in spirit if not letter of law. Teams that grasp the fair play ethics reflects a common courtesy towards each other by not taking advantage of a unusual situation knowing the other team would reciprocate if the positions were reversed. It is true since play was stopped for the illegal use of hands by the keeper inside his own PA an indfk would be a correct restart. The injured AR was pointed out to the referee and likely the referee is now acknowledging it was WHY the keeper picked up the ball. It is also true if the opposition realizes or accepts it WAS the reason, they could offer to tap the ball back to the keeper. The fact the referee changed the decision to award a drop ball reflects the AR injury as the reason for the stoppage contrary to what occurred. HMMM not sure if the decision could be successfully protested but it might be interesting if a referee had to explain his decision to change the call was his version of fair play. Cheers
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View Referee Richard Dawson profileAnswer provided by Referee Joe McHugh Hi David An interesting scenario. I suppose the question has to be asked as to whether it was the goalkeepers intention to stop the game to get attention for the injured assistant? That in itself is not a reason to change the restart as an offence was committed when the goalkeeper picked the ball up yet it may have a bearing on the referees thinking at the time. There is an element of fair play to be considered in the decision also and the attitude of the opponents on the field of play has also a bearing. I think when Team B voiced their displeasure the players were not convinced the decision was made for the benefit of the AR. It's not as if it was a player from either team that was down injured. Personally I think it was an unwise decision by the goalkeeper to do this as the referee was well entitled under the laws to go with an IDFK. It is only in the case of incapacitation of the referee that the game should be stopped and restarted with a dropped ball. Even then the Law suggest play continuing under supervision of An AR until the next stoppage. For me the only correct decision was to restart with the IDFK and if the opponents were mindful of the concern for the AR they could have kicked the ball out of play for say a goal kick.
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