Question Number: 15554

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/21/2007

RE: Competive Under 18

Korby Gramke of Wichita, Kansas USA asks...

Our goalkeeper was making a play on a ball inside the 6 yard box the oposing player scored the goal, but in the process kicked (or was ran into by my goalkeeper according to the official) in the chest. He has large cleat marks on his chest. The official said my keeper was on his way down, and the opposing player made contact as a continuation of the play. I say bullhockey that is studs up and should have been a foul. The only way I could see how my keeper could have received those marks and it not be a foul, would be to have thrown himself down on his back directly in the path of a running player and got stepped on.
What do you all think??

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

A referee was present, the referee made a decision regarding that fact connected with play, that decision is final. AND it really makes no difference what we think or how we second guess the referee's decision, it is final.

As to a studs open challenge, who knows. The fact your keeper had cleat marks on his chest just means the cleats were there. It does not mean they got there unfairly or even if your goalkeeper was at fault.

What do I think? I was not there so I can have no opinion. Even if I was there and was there to assess the referee I could have an opinion but NOT regarding the facts connected with play, only the referee can have that opinion. I may discuss the referee's positioning on the field, his application of Law, his mechanics. I may have opinions regarding his fitness, courage, interaction with assistants but NOT his decisions regarding facts connected with play. The Laws of the Game reserve those to him and him alone.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Well, I'll go even a bit farther than Ref Fleischer. I think the ref was right. He even told you why he made his decision. I don't know how many times I've seen players who come out on the bad end of a situation that was totally caused by them - they stuck a body part between the ball and the opponent's foot, which got kicked. They put themselves off balance just before contacting their opponent, so they end up on the grass.

While the ball is loose, both the goalkeeper and the opponent have equal rights to try for it. Good goalkeepers, strange personalities that they be, show no fear in putting themselves into situations where they might get kicked. It's part of the job description. And then since they're such sadists, they become referees like several on our panel.

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

See Question: 15580