Question Number: 17415

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/20/2007

RE: HS Team High School

John of Waukesha, WI USA asks...

The defense kicks the ball back to the goalie. The goalie purposefully uses his hands. He does not catch and hold but redirects the ball. The offense kicks and scores off of this action. The goal is called back, the goalie is given a yellow card and a penalty kick is awarded to the offense. Why was the goal called back and why was only a yellow card issued?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

-Hi John,
It could be the referee has not a clue about the game and as a former baseball umpire he was the only one available.

The goal could stand as long as the referee did not STOP play before the ball crossed the goal line. If the referee whistled it dead too early for an INDFK offence and thus too quick on the whistle to anticipate an advantage. Common rookie mistake takes a while to relax and wait and see things rather than instantly trigger a response.
That is understandable in inexperienced referees.
What is most disturbing is the lack of understanding of the most basic laws.
Now aside from the GROSS misapplication of the law in awarding a PK for ONLY an indfk offence this game is headed for one protest filled adventure. The caution we can only assume is for whatever mystical reasoning?s was going on in the head of this official because I have no idea.

If the keeper handles the ball deliberately outside the penalty area a DFK offence from OUTSIDE the penalty area where it occurred. As a DFK offence it is the more relevant punishment then the deliberate kick to the keeper as only INDFK. Here the caution might for the tactical use of the hands as USB although DOGSO criteria could apply (denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity).
YOU CANNOT under any circumstances bring a DFK outside into the inside of a penalty area and have a PK, it is simply impossible.

By the same perversion of this debacle if the keeper was in fact inside his area when he illegally used his hands on the team mates deliberate kick to him. It is ONLY an INDFK from WHERE in the penalty area he did this. Subject to law 8 special circumstances where if inside the 6 yard goal area an indfk only occurs from 6 yards out from goal. Again it can never ever be a PK as it is impossible in law.

I have to ask did the referee actually survive this match? We can only hope he receives training to update his lack of knowledge. Please report all this to the league assessor, head referee whomever so can straighten this poor fellow out
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

There are many whys here and there are some how comes and wheres as well. Why did the keeper use his hands? Where was the keeper when he used his hands? Why was not advantage played? Why was the keeper cautioned? Why was a penalty kick given as the restart of play? How come the goal was called back?

Right, I was not there so what I say is only conjecture.

The goalkeeper is not permitted to use his hands if the ball is deliberately kicked to him by a team mate. If he does an indirect free kick is awarded his opponents NOT a penalty kick. An inept referee will not have sufficient situational awareness to identify an advantage so he blows his whistle and finds the keeper has denied a goal. He is right to only caution because the inept rule writers at NFHS say the disqualification only applies to direct free kick offenses. At least he got that part right.

Sometimes the only qualifications a high school referee needs are to hear thunder and see lightning. There are many thunder storms in Wisconsin. Qualifications must be easy to attain.

Sorry,