Question Number: 16313

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/15/2007

RE: Seniors competitive Adult

Tony Collis of Brisbane, Queensland Australia asks...

A goalkeeper uses foul language audible to many whilst he has possession of the ball in his hands in his penalty area. The referee issues an immediate red card and dismisses the goalkeeper from the field of play. How should play restart?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

So is the thinking that because this happened in the penalty area, the restart should be a penalty kick, I guess? If the ball was in play at this time, under the Laws of the Game, a PK CANNOT happen in this instance. What the keeper did was certainly misconduct, and in the game referee's opinion (which is the only one that matters), it met the test for Offensive, Insulting or Abusive Language or Gestures and was thus a sending-off/red card. But no direct free kick offense occurred, and therefore, no penalty kick can take place. Absent anything other than the foul language, the restart here is an indirect free kick from the spot where the language was spewed, unless it was in the goal area, in which case it then takes place on the top of the goal area line closest to where the event occurred. If the ball was dead when the keeper mouthed off, then the restart was for whatever reason caused the ball to go out of play, after we see the keeper off the field and find a field player on his team to replace him in the goal.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The match was stopped due to player misconduct, but not a foul. In these situations the referee must restart play with an indirect free kick from the location of the misconduct (subject to the special circumstances listed in law 8).

So practically, the referee should, in the scenario you describe...
1. Stop play
2. Inform the keeper he is being sent-off the field for using foul language.
3. After the keeper has left the pitch and its vacinity (and a new goalkeeper has been appointed and properly attired) the match should be restarted with an indirect free kick awarded to the other team from the exact point where the goalkeeper was standing when he used the foul language.
4. If that was within the goal area (6 yard box) then the ball must be placed on the goal area line parallel to the goal line (top of the 6) at the point closest to the point of the infringement.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

My test for alligator mouth hummingbird brain activity is: was it public, personal and provocative. If PPP and many folks heard it he goes. The restart of play is as indicated in the last of the indirect free kick offences in Law 12. At the point of the offence occurred.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Since play is stopped due to misconduct...the restart is IFK at spot where keeper was standing when foul language was expressed.