Question Number: 22379

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 10/27/2009

RE: rec Adult

Paul Davidson of Albuquerque, NM USA asks...

Premier Women's League:
Keeper injured during play for 50/50 ball near top of the penalty box. Keeper comes up with possesion. Whistle blown for injury to Keeper.

When Keeper ready, I tell the Keeper, go ahead and pick it up when I drop it. I drop it, Keeper stares at me with Deer in Headlight look and then dribbles a pass to player just outside the box who just taps it. Players are standing around looking confused, I yell out, ball is in play Ladies. Defense finally clears the ball down field.

I wonder, should I have just blown the whistle and tried again? One justification being that I didn't drop the ball, it slipped out of my hand. Or it could be that upon seeing the Keeper's reaction, I decide the Keeper is still injured.

It occurred to me to wonder about what I would do if in this scenario after dropping the ball an astute (unscrupulous?) defender rushes up and kicks the ball into the net. Legally it's a goal but Law 18 seems to differ.

What to do ? Blow the whistle and re-drop based on above justifications ? Let the goal stand on the premise that players at this level darn well should know what to do. But maybe the Keeper really is injured and her bell is still ringing.

Curious as to panel's advice. It seems to me that if I'm going to choose to blow the whistle and restart, I'd better be on that whistle awfully darn quick.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

If you drop the ball and the keeper is too thick to understand what 'you can pick the ball up' means and a smarter attacker realises what to do with a free ball then it's the keeper's own fault, you can't do much about it.

That isn't what happened, fortunately. For some reason everybody stood there confused after the restart, in these cases I believe you can be justified in taking the restart again. Or if you want to be technical, stop play again for any reason not specified within the laws and restart play with a drop ball for that stoppage.

The fact that it slipped out of your hand may have contributed to the confusion.

If the keeper's still injured she shouldn't be standing up ready to go.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Davidson
Never underestimate the ability of player to mess up in these situations and cause a rumpus for the referee. It is very important to get these restarts correct.
You appear to have done everything correctly so I can't understand why she did not pick it. Maybe she did not want to pick it because of the injury and the problem was with the team mate. My advice is on DB in this situation is announce clearly to everyone that you are restarting with a dropped ball. While the keeper is being treated tell everyone around that the restart is a DB. The opponents will then make a decision whether they are going to contest or not. If they are not contesting move everyone away so its just the ref and the keeper.
Tell the keeper he/she can pick it up. Drop the ball and move away.
I would be reluctant to move in again but you could do so if it was plainly obvious that the restart did not happen. Just blow the whistle, ask for the ball and announce 'I'm retaking that dropped ball as everyone was not ready'

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

You said these are adults, and that this is a Premier league. So unless it's the Lake Wobegon League where everyone is 'above average', I would conclude that these aren't rookie players who have no concept of the game. If that conclusion is erroneous, I apologize.

Players of this caliber should recognize game situations and know their options. You even were kind enough to point out one option. Unless the keeper really is still dazed from the injury, she should have been able to react to the dropped ball and know how to play. Their fault, not yours. It's not your job to try to make up for their faults in how they play. Don't try to invent things like the ball slipped out of your hand.