Question Number: 30016

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/9/2016

RE: Competive Under 17

Chris of London , UK asks...

Great question i hope. Scenario is the gk has catched the ball from a corner but took one in the ribs from striker. Ref says 'keeper you've got it away you go' (assuming keeper would rather have ball from his hands than free kick). Anyway striker and gk clearly exchange words and gk (clearly deliberately) blasts the ball into the side of the strikers face with his drop kick. Now if the ref had stopped play and the gk had done this i can understand it being violent conduct but the ball was in play. The ref did send the gk off presumably for violent conduct but technically is the gk not allowed to do what he likes with the ball under his control? Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Chris,
there is nothing criminal in a referee trying to do what is best for the game. Good intentions, keeper has ball and play continues. The contact is being waved as trifling BUT is it? Trifling I mean! When you are not calling a FOUL and you not indicate advantage you have either missed the foul or thought it doubtful or trifling. The referee was initially being pro active with the comment, 'keeper you've got it away you go' but he was not being observant as to the keepers reaction or the severity of that contact.

If I was to offer a suggestion, (a)the official get in close, (b)signal the advantage (indicates there was a foul) and ask the keeper (c)'Are you ok to punt it out?' rather then tell him to. (d)You are not stopping play, just ensuring SEPARATION between the keeper and striker, (e) cutting the keeper a bit more time to recover before we are on about the 6 seconds.

Now often a DFK and caution show a yellow card is in my opinion the better play here when there is hard contact. If you as an official turn away or run to get ready for the punt without lingering a few moments to quell any ill will you set up the opportunity for a disgruntled keeper to exact some emotive revenge. The word exchange should NEVER occur, their close proximity was bad juju by the official in not recognizing the nature of the event.

I believe as this is an excessive action, albeit a kick during active play, it should register as a red card for violent conduct as opposed to SFP, but how is kicking a ball into an opponent a DFK foul? Is it only an INDFK restart? In your situation how did the referee restart?

We accept that when a ball is deliberately thrown by hand into the face that is a strike which is DFK offence, show red card, send off keeper, reduce team by a player but have one become the new keeper.

The question you raised and yes it is a good one! Is a deliberate kick of the ball deliberately directed into a nearby opponent treated as a DFK offence? Is this type of action viewed as a kick or an attempt to kick an opponent just a different version of a (strike or attempt to strike)? We say it is a form of striking , under limited conditions we can make that stretch. No matter the provocation no player keeper or otherwise can try to injure an opponent with impunity under the cover of we are just playing normally. This is a DFK offence thus PK restart once the red card and send off and replacement keeper is established for a striking foul

On another path the matter of the opponent being too close in proximity to a keeper releasing the ball. Once a keeper has ball possession the opposition are required to step aside to allow free passage to release the ball into play. Here the attacker is confrontational and close. If we make the call and the keeper reacts by kicking the ball into his face we could say it was VC as the INDFK foul occurred first. One MIGHT award an INDFK out but send off the keeper for VC!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Chris
Interesting question. For my perspective the answer will have the caveat of what transpired at the drop kick. If the referee is certain and for that to happen the actions need to be without doubt deliberate such chasing the opponent, kicking the ball the *wrong* way such as turning around to face goal or clearly with only one intention of striking the opponent with the ball then that is violent conduct which is a red card and a penalty kick restart. If there is doubt about it such as a punt that makes contact with the opponent then one can see that it as part of play. Have a look at this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uO9A6s8_vI&feature=youtu.be
Is that a deliberate attempt to hit the opponent? The referee thought otherwise, cautioned the attacker for preventing release of the ball and restarted with an IDFK to the goalkeeper.
Once though the player is sent off for violent conduct on an opponent during play then it is a direct free kick or penalty kick restart.
Now we know from Law 13 & 15 that if a player kicks or throws the ball at an opponent neither in a careless nor a reckless manner nor using excessive force, the referee allows play to continue. The converse to that is that if excessive force is used it is a violent conduct offence. The challenge for the referee is to determine if the act is deliberate or not.
It also brings up the point of prevention. My advice to referees is not to allow such situations to develop. Once there is a heavy foul with words exchanged involving the goalkeeper stop the game and award the free kick. Step in quickly to engage the players and deal with it appropriately.