Question Number: 16890

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 9/25/2007

RE: Under 14

Blane of Isleta, NM US asks...

A player scores a goal. When recording the goal made on the scorecard the player is not listed. Is the goal dissallowed? Is a yellow card given to the player or the coach? How is the game restarted?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

First we need to define terms. You said a player scored a goal. Then you said he was not a player because he was not listed on the scorecard. What you have to determine is whether this person really is a player, or if he's someone who just looks (dresses) like a player but is not.

In most competitive leagues, there is some kind of "certification" process that makes players legal. If this is not followed, that person, even if properly registered with the team and league, cannot play in that game. If a player tells the coach she won't be there that day because of some conflict, and the coach doesn't record her name on the sheet, she cannot enter the game when she arrives at halftime.

In younger age groups and in rec leagues where the only criteria is that people be properly registered to participate, we would allow a late-comer to be added to the official roster. Or if it was a simply clerical mistake, say writing down the wrong uniform number, just go ahead and correct it. If someone shows up in the uniform of the team, you have every right to believe that this person is a member of the team.

If someone who is not a player scores a goal, that goal is not counted. Since the person is not a player, you can't caution her. She only has the status of "outside agent" in this game. It would be exactly the same as if a parent had run onto the field and shot the ball. You would, of course, have this non-player removed from the field.

The restart would be a dropped ball, because the non-player is an outside agent. Normally it would be at the location of the ball when the outside agent interfered with play. Since you discovered the problem after the ball was in the goal, the ball is moved out to the long edge of the goal area (the 6-yard line).

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Blaine,
as usual my colleague Ref Voshol makes the correct assertions and uses the multi level aspect of unlimited subs and the way in which players are considered as nominated to verify is this goal scorer a player, a substitute or an outside agent? While I find the FIFA use of the word *player* to be confusing the Q&A highlights your question by examining it as to when the incident is found out!

7. The referee allows a substitute who has not been nominated to enter the field of play and the latter scores a goal. What action does the referee take?
7.1. If he realizes his mistake before the match is restarted:
The goal is not awarded. He should instruct the player to leave the
field of play. The player who has been substituted may return to the
field of play or be replaced by another nominated substitute. Play will be restarted with a dropped ball on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the ball passed into the goal.
7.2. If he realizes his mistake after the match has restarted
The goal is allowed. He should instruct the player to leave the field of play. The player who has been substituted may return to the field of play or be replaced by another nominated substitute. He continues the match and reports the situation to the appropriate authorities. If the play was stopped to do so, it will be restarted with an indirect free kick to the opposing team where the ball was when play was stopped*.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The referee has simply mad an error in writing down the number of the player scoring the goal. This happens sometimes. At referee association meetings referees who credit goals to nonexistent players suffer through the laughter of others.

Regards,