Question Number: 30176

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 3/5/2016

RE: Select Under 16

Calvin Smith of Beaverton, Oregon United State asks...

The ref blew her whistle because of an offside. After the whistle a player going for the ball kicked it into the goal anyway and the ref called it a good goal. How can that be?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Calvin,
You ask How can it be? The referee is having what we commonly call a brain cramp! NO! It is NOT possible to award a goal if play is stopped via a referee's whistle. If the whistle sounds be it for offside, a foul or by mistake, play is DEAD and must be restarted with a free kick or a drop ball for an inadvertent whistle!
This is a protestable situation and if it is reviewed and found to have occurred as you describe chances are the match gets replayed or some sort of repercussions will follow! The key point is the referee match report needs to confirm such an action occurred not that he claimed the goal was first whistle occurred next! Or an independent video that might be used .
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Calvin
As described it cannot be a goal. Once the whistle sounded then no further play is allowed. If the referee made an error then in Law with an erroneous whistle then all that she can do is apologise and restart with a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.
Now there can be a number of reasons why this happened
1. The referee made a mistake on the offside and thought that she could correct the error by allowing the goal due to her thinking that she can change any decision before the next restart.
2. The whistle sounded too soon for the goal and it may have been assumed that it made no difference to the outcome.
In either thinking a goal cannot be awarded.