Question Number: 31776

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/10/2017

RE: Competitive Adult

Nick of Lewis Lake, Nova Scotia Canada asks...

For your consideration:

https://twitter.com/AcadiaAthletics/status/906961895630016513

Did we get this right? I was only the senior assistant (camera side, not in view), but I flagged for it just as the referee stopped play. For me, it falls under 'preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball'.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Nick ,
spot on!
100% correct call.
Caution for USB
INDFK out! Preventing the keeper's release of the ball back into play . Player shadowed and ran into the keeper's path NO goal
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Nick,
Totally correct decision for me as well. The opponent has moved into the keeper's path and prevented the release of the ball into play.

We have seen many examples of similar incidents in televised games and in the vast majority of cases they have been correctly penalised (although there have been a couple I have seen where the officials seem unfortunately to have missed what really happened and so failed to take the correct action).

A caution is not absolutely mandatory in such situations but is probably given more often than not due to the unsporting nature of the offence - or (more importantly IMHO) if the actions of the attacker are done such a way as to cause a risk of injury.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Players cannot prevent the goalkeeper from releasing the ball. Clearly, the attacker has done just that - she's run across and jupmed to prevent the kick. It doesn't matter that she was outside the PA - she's blocked the release. That's a foul. I'm astounded that people on twitter are claiming it's a genuine goal.

The laws only require an IFK; a caution is discretionary. In most cases I see no reason to caution for blocking the release of the kick unless, say, the keeper was trying to get it to an open player for a fast counter attack or there was some element of danger to the keeper (or of course, if there's been previous similar behaviour). The age and skill level of the players will also be relevant.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Nick
Correct decision and this has come up on the site previously on a number of questions.
The attacker is very blatant with this movement. We have seen other videos where the attacker mirrors the movement of the goalkeeper, places herself in the kicking zone, turns away and then gets hit with the ball on the back. That for me is also an offence.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9uO9A6s8_vI
Here is one the referee crew got wrong
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oWpnR0qy1kY
If you look closely the error is made by the AR going to the offside line rather than staying with the ball and the attacker. That is where the action was rather than the next phase which was potential offside positioning. ARs should stay with the ball in such circumstances and then a quick sprint once the ball gets punted, thrown. As it turned out neither the CR or AR was within 30 yards of the incident when it happened.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 31828