Question Number: 17758

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/7/2007

RE: Junior Adult

Ameez of Male, Maafaanu Maldives asks...

What will be the restart for
If a player (an opponent) who deliberately leaves the field of play from near the goal while an attacker moving towards the goal with an obvious goal scoring opportunity was prevented by throwing his shoes and hit the attacker.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Ameez,

The restart would be a penalty kick, which would take place after the defender was sent-off and shown the red card for violent conduct (the thrown object is considered the same as that players hand and this is a form of striking.) The referee's report should also include the fact that the striking also prevented an obvious goal scoring opportunity. However, the primary reason reported to the authorities should be violent conduct as it is punished more severly.

The restart is taken from the spot of the infraction, which in this case was on the field of play, within the defender's own penalty area. Striking is a direct free kick offense, and when that's all put together what you've got is a penalty kick and a red card.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Of course Ref Montanino's response is true when the impact of the thrown object is within the penalty area, otherwise we'll just have a direct free kick and what ever discipline the referee feels needed for striking and what the striking prevented.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Let me just clarify, if the contact of the striking occurs outside of the penalty area but elsewhere on the field of play, then it's simply a direct free kick.

If the contact occured inside the penalty area (foul committed by a defender, inside his own penalty area) then it is indeed a penalty kick, which is how I originally read your question.