Question Number: 16258

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/10/2007

RE: All Levels and Ages Other

Steve of Vero Beach, FL USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16215

As one of the referees stated, I have never thought of this scenario. However, in this case, the attacker did not prevent the release or the kick. He played the kick and attempted to block it, presumably with a legal body part. If he does this at or near the place of the kick, would you show a card for USB?

Hypothetical: Attacker notices that this keeper always kicks low and straight ahead. He positions himself 2 - 3 yrds away from the keeper, but directly in front of him to intercept the kick. In my mind that is tactical and acceptable, correct or no?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The first time positions himself, whether within a yard or 2-3 yards away, and moves to intercept the ball I will stop play and award an indirect free kick because the opponent has not allowed the keeper to release the ball into play. He has infringed the Law. The second time this player, or the third time other players, do this I will caution for persistent infringement. These cautions will continue until the behaviour stops or the match is abandoned because there are too few players to continue. It's that simple coach.

Teach football skills, not ways to break the Laws of the Game.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Steve,
players are entitled to stand on the field! If the keeper kicks the ball into a standing opponent at three yards outside his penalty area I see no denying the release but a poor kick. If the opponent is moving with the keeper and places himself directly in front as the ball is being kicked he is trying to prevent the release and thus infringed on the laws that state not to do so! The keeper has 6 seconds of free time to take his kick or throw, on any free kick we see 10 yards minimum for opponents consider we take no less liberty on the keeper release.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

I do hope the referee has been paying close attention. If so, she will know whether the player was just caught there during the kick and act according to what happens next - i.e. if the kick goes on down the field, no issue (although I would make a quick run by visit on my way back down the field and suggest that isn't a good place to be caught). If the player's position is interfering with the kick - accidentally or not, deal with it immediately. If the player is doing this deliberately, then I absolutely agree with Chuck. That is unacceptable, both under the Laws of the Game and under the spirit of fair play. A referee who fails to deal with players who muck about with goalkeepers is asking for problems. And by deal, I don't necessarily mean with cards - a look, a statement, a simple whistle, a run by visit - all of these and more tell the teams you are paying attention to what is going on with the keepers and will deal immediately with any issues. They will see this as a sign you will deal with other problems on the field with all the other players as well - good karma.

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

This may be tactical, but certainly not acceptable. The LOTG are very specific. The goal keeper's attempt to release the ball cannot be interfered with. Period. We can nickel and dime when the "release" occurred. But the spirit of the law remains. The goal keeper has a certain amount of time to release the ball from their hands into play. A goal keeper's punt is a SINGLE action consisting of two steps to complete the action of releasing the ball into play. The first is to get out of their hand(s). The second step is to kick it with the foot (or sometimes it bounces off the ground then the GK kicks it). Any interference with this release is unacceptable. If an opponent places themselves 2 - 3 yards from the GK and shows no attempt stay out of the goal keeper's way, I will step in and deal with it. At the least I will give the player a very vocal talking to, or I might simply stop play and caution the player for unsporting behavior and show the yellow card. Whether I chose to the show the player a card is dependent upon several variables: The age; the dynamic of the game; whether I have warned one of this player's other teammates during this same match, etc. There is no honor in teaching players to play soccer this way.

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

See Question: 16286