Question Number: 29279

Law 18 - Common Sense 4/1/2015

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29274

I have a question regarding the 3rd scenario that referee Dawson mentions...i.e. a defender takes the goal kick, which leaves the penalty area and is blown back by the wind, & the goal keeper stops the ball with his/her hands with an attacker in close pursuit.

I have a lot of trouble with the concept of deliberate. I realize that it's difficult to determine what a player is thinking, although sometimes it's pretty clear. I see no difference between a defender taking a goal kick (clearly it's deliberate) & an attempt, during active play, to kick the ball. In the latter case, if the defender clearly miskicks the ball (it glances off the side of the foot during an attempt to save) & it goes toward the GK, even with an attacker pursuing, the GK can use their hands. However, the defender intended to & did kick the ball...it just didn't go where it was expected to go.

The same is true with a goal kick that is caught by the wind & blown back. Both are deliberate kicks & in both cases, the ball didn't go where intended.

Especially since the law was made to avoid time wasting, I can't see why this would be considered 'deliberately kicked to him by a teammate' (Law 12, p.120). (I am aware that the current Advice to Referees, p.48, just says 'a teammate deliberately kicking the ball').

Thanks again for all the great advice.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil,
you are not alone in your thinking. The deliberate kick may not be an intentional action on the part of a kicker. Similar if a defender resets offside trying to clear but their deliberate action to kick the ball away goes awry. Many referees are of the mindset the situation of the blow back is NOT an offence at all. In truth my thinking is changing in this regard. This is why I suggested it should be trifling given it was not why the restriction was created. If you are of the mindset this is a doubtful infraction or not an infraction al all you will find support for your position, that said the LOTG were not created to fix the mistakes of the players. It is as ludicrous to consider a second touch violation as it is to say the keeper can not use his hands if we actually use intent to convince ourselves there is an infraction. This scenario while lesser skilled or younger players are the likely victims of such an act is again why I consider these infractions trifling. It is usually the keeper kicking the ball anyway. Although I do find it odd a referee would willingly award a free kick for ANY touch of the ball by the keeper as a second touch if he took the goal kick but not for use of hands if the teammate took the goal kick given the keeper COULD in fact play the ball legally with his other body parts? That said best not to look for INDFK for such things as it is not really the reason why the laws governing such things were created to stop.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
In these type of situations with extreme wind all sorts of problems arise for the game and the referee. That will include the ball not being at rest at restarts, balls being thrown out of play at TI, kicks going astray etc.
The referee in those games will probably give a great deal of latitude to players when confronted with the unusual.
I would suggest that when it becomes that unusual that the regular playing of the game is not easy or possible the best decision may be to abandon.
Now I would certainly punish the double touch infraction whereas I would not punish the deliberate kick to the goalkeeper should that arise.
This for instance is not a goal and it is a corner kick restart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tX__ilbv_g
If the GK used his hands here I would not punish that as an offence.
As regards this second one it is a goal and even if the GK touched the ball with his hands advantage should be played. I would also have real sympathy calling an offence here. I think it is time to go home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4tVtfDTqJs