Question Number: 31437

Law 5 - The Referee 4/7/2017

RE: Competive Under 9

kaissi of Wildomar, Ca USA asks...

Goalkeeper challenges an attacker, he collect the ball but goes down in pain(broke his leg)he release the ball, attacker gains the ball and about to score, WHAT DO YOU DO AS A REFEREE? stop the game or NOT?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Kaissi,
Law 5 says that the referee stops play if a player is seriously injured. To me, a broken leg is a serious injury so in my opinion, play should be stopped if this happens.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Kaissi
Have a look at this video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=2m53s&v=uWm9e7U0pRo
In my opinion the referee should have stopped play to deal with the injury to the goalkeeper. Certainly a broken leg is a serious injury and play must be stopped. The restart of play if stopped to deal with an injury is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Kaissi,
if it is a definitive serious injury in the opinion of the referee the whistle GOES no matter what! There is no concept of advantage when SAFETY is the concern! Stop play drop ball restart. If the team with the injured player/keeper realizes that a goal was about to be scored and they wish to not contest the drop to permit a goal that is for them to decide. Here you state the keeper stopped the ball but it was the injury that caused the ball to be released. This should be a no brainer drop uncontested drop ball to the substitute keeper and the opposition recognizing the unwritten rule of fair play would withdraw from the restart or offer to give it back. That though again is the team option to decide not the referee!
Cheers