Question Number: 30709

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/2/2016

RE: Competitive Adult

Jack of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

The ball is in play. The blue goalkeeper has the ball in their hands in their own penalty area, and is about to release it by punting it up field.

A blue substitute, warming up down the other end of the field on the touchline, decides for whatever reason, to run onto the field of play and shove the red goalkeeper to the ground with excessive force.

The referee stops play and sends off the blue substitute for violent conduct. Under the 2015/16 FIFA Laws, the restart is an indirect free kick to the red team from where the ball was located when play was stopped - ie. in the blue penalty area.

Under the 2016/17 IFAB Laws, the restart is a direct free kick or penalty kick, but it does not state in Law 3 from where the restart occurs. Is a direct free kick awarded to the red team from where the substitute interfered with play - ie. where the substitute shoved the goalkeeper, or is a penalty kick awarded to red because the ball was in the blue penalty area?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jack
The restart here will be from where the offence took place which is a direct free kick in the Red penalty area. It could only be a penalty if a Blue player substitute struck a Red player in the Blue penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jack,
when idiots who are part of the team but not one of the 11 players act against an opposing player on the FOP they are held to the same standards of accountability as IF they were a player thus a DFK or PK restart based on what or where the act occurs.
Your case is a DK restart for a push inside the red PA and a likely show the red card and send off against the blue substitute for VC. Hence blue looses ball possession but gets to move the ball deep into the red defending third for red to restart? Still no idea why this would be a tactic worthy of consideration?
PK offences must be committed by a defending player within their own PA.
Cheers