Question Number: 15467

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/13/2007

RE: U-15 Elite playing Adult league under FIFA rules Adult

Soccermomx7 of Colonial heights , va USA asks...

Today in a game our team came from being down 2-0 to tie the game with 10 minutes to play in the second half. With the momentum in their favor our striker who had just scored ran into the net to retrieve the ball to restart play quickly. The opposing GK shoved him took the ball and threw it at his head. Nothing was called since the AR claimed no one is allowed to get the ball out of the net but the keeper according to FIFA Law and stated our player should have received the yellow for trying to get the ball. I have never heard of such a thing and after going through the FIFA rules still have not found any thing. Could you please let me know if this rule even exist. Also provide me with a rule #.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This is found on page 63 of the US Soccer version of the 2006/2007 Laws of the Game under the paragraph entitled Delaying the restart of play:

provoking a confrontation by deliberately touching the ball after
the referee has stopped play.

Note a goal stops play, when winning the tying goal in the last few minutes entering an opponents goal is going to provoke a confrontation! Right, the confrontation was your player grabbing the ball, it escalated into handbags at 5 paces. A caution for your guy and a caution or sending-off, depending on the velocity of the throw for the keeper.

A prudent referee will be in the penalty area when the ball is. A prudent referee will get the ball into his hands, even if this means getting forcibly between the two combatants.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Yes, your striker could have received a caution for delaying the restart of play by provoking a confrontation. He has no business going into the other teams goal. The keeper should have received a caution or send off depending upon the severity of the throw.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Your player should have left the ball alone and , yes, should have received a caution and yellow card for this behavior. If everything transpired as you say, the opposing keeper could have been sent off for violent conduct. This could have been avoided had your player left the ball alone.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Your teammate should have been cautioned and shown the yellow card for provoking a confrontation by trying to get the ball after a goal was scored. The opposing goalkeeper should have been sent-off and shown the red card for violent conduct (for violently throwing the ball at the opponent which is a form of striking).

Of course, the referee could have prevented all of this if he had run in and been the one to collect the ball first, but sometimes the players are closer and the referee can't do much.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 15503