Question Number: 21248

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/30/2009

RE: Competitive Under 13

Mark of Irvine, CA USA asks...

Are goal keepers entitled to any additional protection from strikers playing aggressively toward a ball inside the 18 yard line?

A couple weeks ago our keeper was leveled by a striker trying to 'head the ball' while running straight toward our keeper and our goal.

Our keeper grabbed the ball from above her head at the same moment a striker made direct full-body contact on our keeper, sending our keeper backward and to the ground- causing a minor head injury. The offending striker never touched the ball, but absolutely 'ran over' our keeper at full speed.

A warning was given, but no foul was called. It would seem to me that a keeper would get some sort of extra protection, especially in the case where the opposing player never even touched the ball????

I am noticing more and more as my girls get older that teams are taught to run through the keeper. Is there any rule or policy protecting the keeper from being in a heavily 'exposed' position?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Keepers don't get any extra protection but are certainly entitled to normal protection that would include getting run over by an opponent. At lower levels of play and younger ages, I think we all tend to try to protect the keeper. I know if I'm working a lower level game I'm quick to yell 'Keeper' when the keeper has possession of the ball. what you describe, if accurate, is absolutely forbidden and at the least a foul should be called. I would say that your keeper was not in possession of the ball when the opponent made a play for it but that does not give the opponent the right to carelessly challenge for the ball.

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Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The keeper is like a regular player when it comes to protection. Both players are entitled to play the ball. If the collision was ruled by the referee as not careless, reckless, or excessive, then no foul was the correct call. Did the keeper run into the players path and cause him to get knocked over? If so, then no foul could have been the correct call.

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Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Keepers by the nature of their job/position will always be in more danger than any other player because they have to throw themselves at the feet of other players, jump into the air unprotected, and place their bodies between an attacker and the ball. As a referee, I must allow the keeper to do her job, and must, as much as possible do what I can to keep the game safe, fair and fun - including the keeper in her dangerous job. But there are no special rules or policies protecting the keeper more than any other player.

Soccer is a heavy contact sport. The contact can be vigorous, but as long as the players are playing for the ball, and the contact is fair, the referee must let the play go on.

What is fair and vigorous at one age and skill level is not so at another, and this is often where the problems arise. A referee may be on the game who either does mostly higher level games and doesn't adjust well to the needs of the less skilled or younger players, or the referee may be too inexperienced to judge correctly what is fair and vigorous at this level, and either over call or under call the game.

What you described above sounds like a ball that was able to be fairly played by either player, and it was just a question of who got there first. Taking into consideration the age group, and the warning issued by the referee, it sounds like the tackle was not judged a foul, but was very close. Another referee may have given the foul and a misconduct card.

What you are seeing is an intimidation tactic taught by coaches. The keeper will have to learn to deal with these challenges and her goalie coach can be of some help. And, feel free to contact the referee assignor and ask about the training of referees in your area regarding such tackles.

Regards,

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