Question Number: 17555

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/28/2007

RE: Gold Under 14

Thomas of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

I know of course, that if a player (besides from the goalie) uses his hands to DOGSO, that it's a straight red card; but what about this twist on the classic scenario that happed in my game the other day?

Yellow took a corner kick, which I managed to tip up, but not grab (I'm goalie). The Yellow team then then took a weak shot from about the top of the Goal Area, which one of my Blue defenders, #3, dived towards. The ball hit his chest, then started going away from the goal, when it touched his hands. Amusingly, the ball was going to another defender before #3 deflected it with his hands to a Yellow attacker, who was litrally just about to kick it, when the ref blew his whistle. Since the ball hit #3's chest first, and therefore wasn't about to go into the net, should it have still been a RC. Also, if Yellow was about to kick it in the net, what would be the correct call...advantage, or PK?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Thomas, I'm not sure I even see a foul here, let alone DOGSO. You said the ball touched his hands - was it deliberate handling?

I also agree that if it was a foul, the ref blew his whistle too early without looking for advantage.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Thomas,
I concur with my colleague, based on your description only, the referee by blowing the whistle early denied the potential goal.
We call this situational awareness, anticipating, knowing when to swallow a whistle to await an outcome. The advantage application is a valuable tool if applied in correct circumstances.

It is tough to say what the referee saw in this because as an opinion on a fact of play we were not there to judge. If he held the opinion the defender denied a goal and blew the whistle to award a PK then showed the red card for DOGSO he felt the criteria were met.
If the referee had delayed the whistle and the goal scored if he felt the defender had tried to deny the goal and failed he could still caution show a yellow card for the USB.

I tentatively agree with you though if the ball hit the chest and is no longer headed into the goal if there was a deliberate handing after it might not fit DOGSO criteria. If it was judged as not deliberate then we play on!
The fact he blew the whistle means he never saw the ball hit the hand, he saw the hand hit he ball thus a DFK thus a PK and so on it goes.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Thomas. Where's the foul? Doesn't appear that #3 deliberately handled the ball but let's say he did and the ball immediately went to an attacker right in front of your goal. Referee should have waited a second to see if a goal resulted. If it did and the referee believed #3 deliberately handled the ball, #3 may still be cautioned and shown the yellow card. I assume this referee awarded a penalty kick against you. Did they make it?