Question Number: 16702

Law 3 - Number of Players 9/15/2007

RE: dont play anymore but played competitive College

joey of oceanside, California USA asks...

well my whole family has been ref's since i can remember and recently my dad told me about this one game where his was a lines men. the goal keeper switched at half-time but did not tell anyone about the switch. as the game went on my dad noticed the switch but only because the goal keeper saved a goal. so he called the center ref over to talk about it. now my dad tells me the right thing to do is yellow card both the old and the new keeper, but i may be wrong (this is why im asking) but if the ref is not told about the switch and the keeper touches the ball it is a hand ball. isn't deliberately stoping a goal with your hands a red card?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The USSF document Advice to Referees covers this:

[quote]
8.3 PLAYER COUNT
Count the number of players in both teams before the beginning of each half and after any substitution.
The intelligent referee's signal to start the second half is a tacit acknowledgment that the persons on the
field are players and the persons wearing a goalkeeper jersey are the goalkeepers?so long as the
persons themselves are not illegal and the team is fielding the proper number of players.
[end quote]

Note that this provision is meant mainly to deal with games with multiple substitutions and reentry of players - in other words, a typical youth or amateur game. In games with limited subs, any players wishing to sub in at the beginning of the 2nd period would formally line up at the center line and seek the ref's permission to enter. This is to be sure the substititions are tracked properly. If the ref has problems seeing that the player waiting to come in has the funny spiderman shirt on, he's got more problems than just handling substitutions!

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You are partially correct. If a keeper change occurs without the referee's knowledge, both players are cautioned and shown the yellow card. However, the new keeper is indeed the keeper and has all the keeper's privileges which includes deliberately handling the ball legally inside his own penalty area. No offence and certainly no send off.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

When the keeper is change without the referee's permission it is mandatory to caution and show the yellow card to both old and new keeper. The player dressed as a goalkeeper has all the rights of a keeper and may handle the ball in accordance with Law 12. In no case can there be a sending-off because the keeper used his hands within his own penalty area.

Regards,