Question Number: 14912

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/27/2007

RE: rec Other

carolina of Cincinnati, ohio usa asks...

Just before the taking of a corner kick, a defender within his penalty area deliberately kicks an opponent. The referee should:
A. Eject the player and award a penalty kick
B. Caution or eject the player and continue with the corner kick
C. Caution the player and award a penalty kick
D. Caution or eject the player and award an indirect free kick at the point of the offense

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Is this a quiz? Why would you change the restart when the action takes place BEFORE the corner? There's no such thing as an "ejection" in soccer. You send the player off, show the red card and get on with the corner kick.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

B- Eject player and resume with the corner kick that has yet to be taken.

Reasoning - when the ball is out of play, no fouls can be committed. Anything that happens is misconduct. Since the ball was out of play and the restart had previously been determined, that is the only proper restart.

And what's this "caution or eject" stuff? Deliberately kicking the opponent while the ball is out of play cannot be seen as anything other than violent conduct.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This looks like a test question that is not from a US Soccer exam or a NFHS exam because it uses the term eject instead of send-off or disqualify. Given this there can be no correct answer!

Under NCAA Rules there is the term Ejection. Because of liberal interpretation of these rules there is the possibility a referee can caution or eject for this behaviour. You state the event happens BEFORE the corner kick is taken so play has not been stopped for the misconduct. Play was stopped for the ball leaving play over the goal line last touched by a member of the defending side, this demands a corner kick to restart play. Answer B is correct for NCAA rules, ONLY!!!

Any referee allowing any player, who kicks an opponent during a stoppage in play, simply doesn't understand this Game. This is my opinion and probably not supported by MLS, NCAA or NFHS because they would rather see a player continue than learn a hard lesson that should have been learned in U-6 Football.

Regards,