Question Number: 31825

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/25/2017

RE: Rec Adult

John Sendrey of Costa Mesa, California USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 24825

Although I am a referee, in this instance I was a player on an adult recreation league.

Reference this drawing to illustrate the play: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Byhj0zTb9r_-dW5LYmNNTXN1YVk/view?usp=sharing

There was an Indirect Free Kick (IFK) right on the penalty area line ('18-yard line'), midline with the goal. Two attackers setup for a quick 1-2 roll-shoot combo. I, as an attacker being much taller than the goalkeeper (GK), stood right in front of the GK, a foot or two away, obstructing his line of vision to where the ball was placed for the restart. On the kick and during the entire play, I remained stationary and in an onside position as there were two other defenders standing on the goal line, and they never moved off the goal line. The GK was visibly disturbed by my presence, and there was some protest at which point the Center Referee (CR) asked me to move away. I insisted that I was in an onside position and my positioning in front of the GK was not a bookable offense. The CR insisted, and so as not to cause a dissent situation, I moved back a few yards, still in line between goalkeeper and the ball, but now with another defender between myself and the GK. The CR then seemed to be fine with my position, and proceeded to whistle for the ceremonial IFK. The first attacker rolled the ball with his foot, and the second attacker immediately shot on goal, scoring. The goalie's only movement was along the goal line to attempt a save. I made no movement on the field from before the restart to when the goal was scored, nor did I wave my hands or make any unnatural, distracting movements or sounds.

After the shot resulted in a goal, the CR then signaled a foul, claiming that I had 'obstructed' the vision of the goalie. I again insisted that I was in an onside position, which he did not deny. He simply stated that my standing in the line of vision of the goalkeeper was obstruction and bookable, resulting in an IFK for the other team. I asked him which law applied, but since he could not quote it (nor did I really expect him to on the spot), I then asked him if we could discuss the play after the game for educational purposes (both mine and his), at which point he agreed. The no goal ruling stood, and the restart was an IFK for the other team, although the position of the IFK was on the penalty spot, about 6 yards from where the supposed foul was committed, though that is a different matter.

In discussing the matter after the game, I asked to see The Law that was being applied, and CR along with his two ARs referenced Law 12, stating that I had impeded the GK. They never once mentioned my restricting the movement of the GK, only that I had obstructed his vision.

He further went on to say that he could have cautioned me for unsportsmanlike behavior before the restart, claiming (wrongly I believe) that the restart would have then been an IFK for the opposing team. I believe that even if I would have been cautioned for dissent or unsportsmanlike behavior, the restart should have still been an IFK for our team since the ball was not in play at the time. He went on to express a personal opinion, saying that there was no place in soccer for intentionally obstructing a player's view on a play like that, and since it was not 'in spirit of the game,' that it could have just as well resulted in a caution and IFK for the opposing team for the USB.

I can understand a referee's desire to control the game, especially if jockeying for position results in a shoving match, but that was not the case here.

1) In the situation described, in what scenario would this play have been ruled Obstruction/Impeding and in what scenario would it have not? If there was a judgement call, what factors would have taken into consideration to rule this as impeding 'in the opinion of the referee.'

2) The fact that the referee allowed the restart with me in the position in which I was, is he acknoledging that I was not impeding at the time of the restart, and if not, at what point was I impeding?

3) Is obstructing the view of a player, especially the GK, on a set play like this considered unsportsmanlike behavior or not in the spirit of the game?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
Thanks for the question
As described there was no offence and the goal was good. It could only be an offence if it was offside by interfering with line of sight in an offside position which it was not or any movement by the goalkeeper was impeded by movement into his path with no attempt to play the ball
So a player is entitled to his position on the FOP and as long as he does not move to impede or hold there is no offence.
Sure it happens every time at corner kicks by teams placing an attacker close to the GK. As long as the players action is not to hold back using the body or to impede the GKs movement there is absolutely no offence. Indeed if the player moves towards the ball to play it there is also no offence either as the player is entitled to move to the ball.
From your description I would suspect that the goalkeeper talked the referee into a decision in his favour. Gamesmanship probably does not sit well with this official yet as long as it is legal there is nothing that can be done. Also misconduct before the ball is in play does not change the restart. Many GKs will complain about opponents positioned close to them yet there is no offence unless there is clear holding using the body or impeding without attempting to play the ball. There is no line of sight impeding offence except in offside.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI John,
my heads hurts from all the wrong information in this very simple equation.

Given the initial position you took you were fine.

However if the keeper chooses to move away and you shadow him with the intention of blocking his ability to get to the ball as a referee you need to be aware such movement could be interpreted as USB as you are impeding him prior to restart given there is no challenge for the ball, so you ARE playing the man without the ball in playing distance invoking an aggressive response to draw a foul.

That said based solely on your description you were fine!

IF the defenders were sharp they could have stepped up LEAVING you offside and blocking the keeper for an INDFK out offside but apparently no one did anything except watch the ball go into the goal.

Only if you mirrored the keeper's movements in close proximity is there room to see this as impeding.

I once had a team get cute by placing 4 players around the keeper creating a box. The keeper of course was irritated and complained but they went ahead with the corner kick and the player who was directly in the path of the keeper and ball flight was immediately guilty as he shadowed the keeper to force him wide INDFK out . They never twigged on they had to remain in their CHOOSEN position to not affect the ability of the keeper to play the ball and if they extended arms or closed ranks it was a form of holding. What they had hoped was the keeper would push them to draw a penalty. Now there will be those shoving moments prior to the restart which you alluded to require intervention.

But KNOWING you did what you did was intentionally to prevent the keeper from getting a good line of sight on the ball as a tactical ploy you also need to be aware when doing so could be USB or an infraction DEPENDING on the variables of movement, position and ball flight and when the restart occurs.
Personally as a tactic I think it advantageous to run a screen in front of the keeper just before the kick occurs so you are already tracking ball movement NOT keeper movement , thus reducing impeding chances.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi John,
If the referee and/or AR's did indeed say that 'standing in the line of vision of the goalkeeper was obstruction and bookable,' then I'm afraid they were incorrect. If your description of events is accurate then I don't see any offence here. My colleague have already given the reasoning as to why there would not have been an offence based on your description of events.

The referee was also wrong to say that if he had cautioned you for USB before the IFK was taken, that the restart would have changed to an IFK for the opposing team. The restart cannot be changed in this scenario.

Finally, at least as far as I am concerned, merely obstructing the view of a player is not unsporting behaviour, if that is all you did and assuming there was no physical interference with the opponent's movements.

The referee in this game may have been mindful of the instruction in the laws that requires referees to take action when the regular kinds of shenanigans involving jostling between players occur at dead ball situations but again, this posits physical involvement, not just blocking the line of sight without touching.