Question Number: 28417

Law 5 - The Referee 5/12/2014

RE: premier Under 16

Steve of Harrisburg, PA USA asks...

Late in a game the ball is picked up by keeper from team A. Two players are on the ground injured, one from each team. Both coaches are asking for the game to be stopped to attend to their players. The center referee instructs the keeper to punt the ball. As the keeper is punting the ball the center referee blows the whistle to stop play for the injured players. Referee had obviously wanted to stop play for the injured players but wanted the ball punted before he blew the whistle. The ball lands near mid-field. Both coaches come onto the field and the players are removed and substituted.

The center referee then gives a drop ball about 25-30 yards out from team A's goal. Team B coach yells to his players to drop the ball to team A's keeper to restart play. Player from team B then tells team A she is going to pass it to the keeper, so team A backs off the drop ball. Team B player then takes the ball forward makes a pass to an open teammate and they shoot and score.

Was the center referee correct to have the goalie punt the ball before stopping play, was the restart the correct position, and is there anything in the rules preventing team B from doing what they did?

FYI - High level U15 premier tournament in a 0-0 game with 5 minutes left in game.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It was not a wise thing to do, but the referee apparently did not want to stop play immediately for the injury, because the dropped ball restart would have been inside the penalty area (where the ball was located when play was stopped). He was trying to be helpful to the defending team.

Frankly, I prefer in these situations to stop play when the ball is in the keeper's hands. I will then do a drop ball in a way that only the keeper can pick it up. (The referee can't force the defender not to participate, but can stand in such a way that the keeper will be the one to get it. I've never had a defender want to play the ball in this situation. I find a dropped ball where the keeper can again handle it, restores the balance in a way the players respect.)

A 'sporting return' of a ball after an injury is not required by the laws of the game. The usual problem is that someone often doesn't get the word. Usually, the kicker is trying to get the ball back to the keeper, but the forward intercepts it and scores. One way for the referee to help prevent the situation is to ask the kicker to let all of the teammates know what they are doing.

I once found a different way to solve the issue in your situation. The coach had shouted out for the return of the ball, but one forward apparently wasn't listening. As soon as the clueless teammate reached the ball, I blew my whistle. I announced that I needed to check on the condition of the ball - - which I then asked to be replaced - - with a smile from the coach. We again restarted with a dropped ball (after the coach explained to the forward what to do). The forward then kicked the ball to the opponent's keeper.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steve
What a mess and a very serious incident in a game at 0-0 with 5 minutes left. Really should not happen
Lets take the relevant parts separately. The referee was entitled to allow play to continue with the punt. If it was a minor injury play could continue until the next stoppage. If a serious injury then play should be stopped immediately. As described there was nothing wrong with the referee's actions.
The 2nd part is the restart and the dropped ball is the correct restart. The DB is taken from where the ball was when play was stopped which should be midfield in this instance. Once the ball touches the ground it is in play. However a goal cannot be scored directly from a dropped ball. As this was not directly though then the goal would have to stand.
Now clearly this was not a 'Fair Play' sporting restart with an uncontested goal being scored. Either players did not get the message or decided to 'use' the situation to their advantage. I would like to think it was the former.
Now the teams have IMO to find a solution here which could be an uncontested equaliser. If that is not available then the referee could determine that when B Player shouted to Team A that Team B were going to give the ball back that was to 'verbally distract an opponent during play or a restart' which is a caution and an IDFK restart. Also Coach B yelling is outside interference as he has interfered with Team A players and that can and should be also taken into consideration if the 'equaliser' is not offered. Might seem harsh on the 'shouter' if her team mate ignored the advice to kick the ball back but it is within the Laws to caution for this. The restart is an IDFK from where the 'shout' took place.
Now my advice to referees. Do not allow this to happen and the solutions are available which include.
1. Stop the game with the ball in the GK hands and restart with a DB in her area. Once the team suggest 'no contest', which they will, then the GK gets to pick the ball up again
2. If no agreement is offered then ensure that the dropped ball is contested in such a way that it almost unlikely for this to happen.
3. If there is not going to be a contest, understand clearly what is going to happen and get the player's confirmation as to what she is going to do. No deviation can be allowed from this so a pass results in a retake of the DB from perhaps the 'correct' location or to check the inflation of the ball!.
I have had two of these situation before the Law was changed. In both situations there was no 'verbal distraction' just that the ball was over kicked back to the GK which is now a goal kick. I said to the teams that I made an error in the location of the dropped ball restart and re did the dropped ball in another place which was accepted by both teams. It helps if an AR brings to the referee's attention with a raised flag the restart location error from the wrong place or some other technical infringement. Easy to do a retake after the referee consults with him!!
""Okay guys AR says the restart was from the wrong place, injured player was still on the field of play, scoring team coach was on the field of play, he was not ready to restart as the coach distracted him, he believes the ball is 'soft' so we are going to change it and we're going with a restart again.""!!
We know the law framers attitude to this along with associations taking a negative view of uncontested goals so the referee is not going to be challenged by officialdom in sorting out what is a patently unfair scenario. He must though stay within the Laws of the Game and I believe the suggestions I offered are all 'legal'. Certainly no one ever questioned my 'restarts' before the Law was changed