Question Number: 32504

Law 4 - The Players Equipment 6/11/2018

RE: competitive Adult

colin abel of georgetown, guyana asks...

what decision should be taken if an attacker loses his boot while shooting towards the goal which results in another player scoring a goal?? NB: both the boot and the ball went in the same direction however the boot did not hit the keeper.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Colin,
it happens, as long as the shoe did not interfere with play there is no reason to disallow the goal. The player without the shoe is expected to put it back on ASAP and COULD be held accountable for PIADM if he continued to challenge!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Colin
The Laws allow for play to continue so the goal is good.
It would only become a technical offence if the flying boot interfered with an opponent who had to avoid it or the boot hit an opponent or the player continued to dribble with the ball with only one boot which would be playing in a dangerous manner. In those instances play would be stopped and the restart would be an IDFK for playing in a dangerous manner.
To quote the relevant section of the Laws
** A player whose footwear or shinguard is lost accidentally must replace it as soon as possible and no later than when the ball next goes out of play; if before doing so the player plays the ball and/or scores a goal, the goal is awarded. **

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Colin,
Based on your description of the scenario, the decision should be to award the goal. If a player loses their footwear (or shinguard) in the 'normal' course of play, as the part of the law quoted by ref McHugh indicates, play is allowed to continue. The referee does not need to take any action unless the player continues to play without the equipment and comes into close proximity with an opponent who is then prevented from playing the ball for fear of injury, or it causes a problem for an opponent, or if the player does not replace it before the ball next goes out of play.