Question Number: 13167

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 6/25/2006

Ken of Redding, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 13011

Reading question 13011 and your responses, I wondered if a possibility was overlooked.

I agree that if the language was not terribly bad that the goal can stand, caution the striker and get on with the kickoff. In the event that the language happened before the goal was made and was of a nature necessitating a send-off, then also look at the foul that prompted the reaction. Red card for the potty mouth but also punish the holding with a DFK and possible Caution?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Depends on if the referee or AR saw the initial foul. Now you would have a foul by the defending team BEFORE the goal was scored. In this case you have to consider advantage if the fouls was indeed seen. Punish language or not in light of new information

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi ken ,
when we, (what if ?) situations often many choices appear that COULD be considered. A referee acts on information he knows and makes a decision based on those facts UNLESS additional information comes to his attention through his ARS that alternative decisions are required to be evaluated and perhaps change the intended outcome of a restart. Once play is restarted the decisions stand. Cheers