Question Number: 33560

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/6/2019

RE: Rec

Sal of CHICAGO, IL USA asks...

two questions, unlikely scenarios:
1) Blue team takes a shot on goal, Red keeper is hanging from the crossbar and stops the ball from going into goal with his arm. Is this considered DOGSO and what would be the punishment and restart?

2) same scenario, but this time, it's a Blue defender hanging from the crossbar and he stops the ball from going into goal with his torso. Again, would this be considered DOGSO or unsporting behavior and what would be your restart?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Sal
The hanging from the cross bar scenario has been a long time discussion and point of contention among referees of all levels including National, FIFA, Instructors and assessors. USSF at one time clearly stated that it was a red card offence when it stated that ** Referees are reminded that offenses which deny a goalscoring opportunity are not limited to those punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick but may include misconduct or those fouls for which the restart is an indirect free kick. An example would be a player, including the goalkeeper, hanging from the crossbar to play the ball away with his or her body.** That advice is no longer available yet some referees no doubt remember the advice.
In addition it rarely if ever troubles referees other than in quiz questions on the Laws.
So for me
1. The goalkeeper has committed a cautionable offence of unsporting behaviour for which it would be an IDFK restart on the goal area line.
As the offence denied an obvious goal, a more serious offence the goalkeeper would be shown a red card and dismissed. The Laws tells us that 'any other ‘illegal’ handling (by a goalkeeper) does not incur any disciplinary sanction even if it stops a promising attack or denies a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. The fact is that it is the USB offence of swinging off the bar is at question not illegal handling. Law 12 tells us that the denying of a goal or goal scoring opportunity red card can be for an offence punishable by a free kick, both direct and indirect.
2. The outcome would be the same for a defender. As the IDFK offence has also denied a goal the defender is also dismissed. The IDFK is taken on the goal area line opposite from where the offence took place.
I will finish by quoting a phrase from the current Laws
** The Laws cannot deal with every possible situation, so where there is no direct provision in the Laws, The IFAB expects the referee to make a decision within the 'spirit' of the game this often involves asking the question, 'what would football want/expect?'
A referee if confronted with such a situation has to make a judgement call. Thankfully it rarely if ever happens.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Sal,
In both the scenarios you describe, there is a denial of a goal caused by a USB offence by the player (or goalkeeper). USB is listed as an indirect free kick offence. Since in both cases, a goal has been denied by an offence leading to a free kick, the player involved should be dismissed. The restart is an indirect free kick.

Just a small technical point - as described these are both incidents where a goal (not a goal scoring opportunity) has been denied so they are not technically DOGSO offences, they are 'denial of a goal' offences.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Players, of which a keeper is one as well, hanging on the crossbar generally are just goofing off rather than trying to pull the crossbar down so a ball can get over it.

The LOTG state a keeper is ALLOWED to use their hands in the PA to catch or stop the ball but the LOTG also state there are issues with illegal use of hands as well in which INDFKs can be awarded inside the PA.

The keeper can not be sent of for illegal use of hands but apparently since hanging from the crossbar is considered as an INDFK for USB it has somehow been determined we CAN send the keeper off for denial of a goal by an act of misconduct punishable by DOGDSO-F, INDFK so in both keeper situations whilst hanging where the the ball hits his arm or body the keeper is shown the red card, sent off, his team reduced in number and play is restarted with an INDFK from the outer edge of the 6 yard goal area .

In the case of a player, the act of hanging like a monkey is the same, an act of USB. We can show a red card, send off the player for denial of a goal, reduce his team by a player by an act of misconduct punishable by a free kick DOGDSO-F, INDFK the restart will be from the outer edge of the 6 yard goal area, the subtle difference between players & keepers) the INDFK action of hanging like a goof by a player can incur FURTHER DFK possibilities through advantage as in the handling on the arm rather than just the body will upgrade the INDFK for USB into a PK for a DFK offence . In this case we show the player a red card sending him off reducing his team by a player and restarting with a penalty kick via DOGSO-H PK.
Cheers