Question Number: 20182

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 10/7/2008

RE: Competive Under 18

Michael Desouza of Toronto , Ontario Canada asks...

Hi

well i saw something that really intrested me. Say if the ball is going into the net and a fan or parent stopped the ball from going in. What would be the correct call?

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The referee would stop play. Then the referee should ensure that the outside agent (spectator) is removed from the general vacinity of the field. ( If that person refuses to leave, the match should be terminated if reason fails. )

Once that person is removed or arrested (in a pro game a pitch invasion results in arrest) then the referee must restart play with a dropped ball from the location where the outside agent made contact with the ball. If that happened to be somewhere inside the goal area ('the 6 yard box') then the ball must be moved from the point it was touched straight up to the top of the goal area and dropped in that location.

No goal is awarded, no free kick is awarded, just a dropped ball, and a bunch of angry people...

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If the fan turned out to be the parent of one of the players, I'm sure the league would invite that parent to stay home for a while rather than coming to games. Say for the next 10 years or so.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Referee stops play and has this idiot removed from the field and its environs. If it's a parent, hopefully he or she would be banned from the games for the rest of the year. The only proper restart would be a dropped ball. If the parent stopped the ball inside the goal area, the restart is at the 6 yard line. Otherwise the restart is where the parent touched the ball. The referee must write a full report detailing what happened and send it to league authorities

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Drop ball restart for outside interference at the point the ball was subject to law 13 special circumstances in the goal area.. The game does not restart until the idiot is no longer in the field vicinity whether he goes away on his own or someone takes him out and stuffs him in the trunk of the car or the police are called to haul him away,. Referee records all info and hopefully the idiot is banned or even faces criminal charges for endangerment.
Cheers