Question Number: 30661

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/10/2016

RE: Club Under 17

Hal Block of Coto de Caza, Ca USA asks...

We see often that a keeper will raise his knee up in front of his body when going up to make a play on the ball. We know that many coaches have taught the keepers to do this. The question arise that when there is contact by an attacker running into the knee that is raised up, whether a call should be made against the keeper? If so, can you give some guidance as to when and what should be called? Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Hal
Yes this is coached to goalkeepers as a means of protection while high fielding the ball. The decision that the referee has to make is whether the raised leg was used as a weapon to injure a player or as a tool for protection against a challenge by an opponent.
This is not unlike the use of an elbow by an outfield player. Here is the guidance previously given by USSF to referees on the arm / elbow subject
**A players head and neck are easily endangered because they are particularly vulnerable. The elbow and forearm are potentially harmful parts of a player’s body because their bones are hard and strong. Although their use comes under the general heading of striking, several guidelines have been specifically developed to assist the referee in understanding the clues to evaluating the use of an elbow and/or arm in challenging above an opponent’s shoulder level:
Tool /
Arm used for balance, normal body movement, arm not swung into opponent, opponent runs into arm and arm/elbow out before challenge initiated
Weapon/
Excessive force used, opponent’s safety endangered, hard surface (forearm/elbow/hand) contacting soft surface (face/neck), arm cocked (using elbow as battering ram), aware of opponent’s location, arm/elbow moved up and in toward opponent during challenge
If the evidence points to the arm/elbow being used as a weapon, this is misconduct and calls for a send-off for serious foul play or violent conduct. If the evidence is persuasive, the referee’s response could include no foul, whistling for a careless foul accompanied by a stern warning, or whistling for a reckless foul and cautioning for unsporting behaviour.**

I believe that if knee is substituted for elbow using the above advice it would cover the same principle. Is the goalkeeper's leg used as a tool for protection or as a weapon.
Certainly if there is contact with a raised boot there is no question that it is serious foul play and a dismissal.
Now many of us witnessed the challenge between Neuer of Germany and Higuain of Argentina in the last World Cup with Neuer having his knee raised. Many saw it as a reckless challenge by the goalkeeper Neuer while the referee and others saw it as a coming together of two players. The referee admitted that he should not have awarded the foul to Neuer yet rather it should have been a throw in. Some argue that Neuer was entitled to use his leg to protect himself from the challenge by the forward while others disagree about the manner of same.
Really it is left to the interpretation of the referee as to whether it is a genuine play of the ball with a coming together or a reckless / excessive force challenge by a goalkeeper using his leg as a weapon.