Question Number: 32372

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/15/2018

RE: Adult

Mark Mcdaid of Greenock, Renfrewshire United Kingdom asks...

Team a is attacking in Team b penalty box, the forward for team b is assaulted by the goalkeeper from team a
( an off the ball incident ) in the opposite penalty box. What is the rule regarding off the ball incident?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Mark,
If an incident of violent conduct happens while the ball is in play, it is penalised where it occurs. So in this case the decision would be a penalty kick to team b (and a red card to the keeper from team a for violent conduct).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
As a foul has happened on the field of play while the ball is in play the restart is a free kick or penalty kick if it happens inside the penalty area.
In your scenario the restart is a penalty kick to B. It makes no difference where the ball is.
It is though a rare situation if play is up at the other end of the field. Generally when it happens the ball has been cleared and there can be retaliation after the clearance. Rarely is there such a distance between play and the foul or that a team can get up to the other end it is unlikely that this type of incident happens. If up does it is a foul against the offender and also a red card for violent conduct.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mark,
The LOTG are very specific when it comes to violence it CAN NOT be tolerated.

Any off the ball incident can not be SFP as there is no ball to challenge for.
When there are incidents off the ball the referee is faced with several possibilities, ignoring, warning, advantage, advantage then caution
at next stoppage, stop play award free kick, stop play to caution for USB award free kick, stop play to send off for VC award free kick. There is even the potential of a drop ball restart depending on the who, when, where & how!

Given YOUR set of circumstances an assault sounds pretty much a lock on violent conduct. The key does it occur during active play or when the ball is out of play?

If during active play the strike or kick or thrown object occurs INSIDE The keeper's own PA that DFK act is upgraded to a PK. The keeper would be shown the red card and sent off reducing his team to ten. Someone would have to assume the keeper duties be it an on field player or a player substitute takes place if that option is available!

If the VC occurs during a restart or when the ball is NOT in play the VC is only sanctioned as misconduct and the send off show the red card player reduction & replacement of the keeper is in force! The match then continues with whatever restart was already in progress as to why play was already stopped!
Cheers