Question Number: 16552

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/5/2007

RE: select Under 17

ashton phillips of douglasville, georgia usa asks...

player is coming on a breakaway and the keeper starts to come out,when the player takes the shot the keeper dives and gets all ball and the kid falls over the keeper. is that a straight red?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Not enough info for me to make a decision here. If the kid falls over the keeper as the result of a collission for a 50/50 ball, then there might not even be a foul called if I were the referee. If the player fouled the keeper with excessive force and brutality, then it would be a send off. Again..I really need to see what happend to make a decsion on this.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The way you describe it - maybe. The goalkeeper may have comitted serious foul play or violent conduct (excessive force/brutality).

If the keeper committed a foul with the attacker in possession heading directly toward the goal, the keeper could possibly be guilty of denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity which is also a red card offense.

You say the keeper got all ball - I suspect the referee in the game you may be refereing to may not have felt the same way you did about what happened.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Ashton, I hope your English teacher doesn't read this site! From your question, it is impossible to tell who you think got the red or why. A send-off usually implies a violence of some sort, whether to another player or participant or to the Game itself. The violence could be serious foul play, violent conduct or spitting - all physical violence. Or it could be offensive, insulting or abusive language which is verbal violence. Or it could be violence to the spirit of the game by denying obvious goalscoring opportunities in a dastardly fashion or by being foolish enough to receive a second yellow card. However, from what you wrote, we cannot tell if either the attacker or the keeper engaged in anything at all other than playing the game. Write back with more details - describe the picture that clearly remains in your mind, and perhaps we can help.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Ashton. How are things in D-Ville? From what you have described it's hard to say there's even a foul here. If the keeper goes for a 50-50 ball, gets it, and then an opponent falls over him, what has the keeper done wrong? If he raised his arm or leg and tripped the opponent than there may indeed be a foul and depending on the severity possibly a caution or even a send off but not from what you describe. As Ref Maloney points out, who indeed do you think the red card should be shown to? Thanks for the question.