Question Number: 35734

Law 5 - The Referee 10/2/2024

RE: High School

Matt of Gettysburg, PA USA asks...

In a recent game, the keeper for our team went down injured, do to a collision with a member of the opposite team. No foul was whistled. The refs allowed play to continue for probably 15-20 seconds, until the other team scored (with our keeper still down). Clearly, you can't say anything - without video - about whether or not a foul should have been called for the collision with the keeper. But shouldn't the refs have stopped play, or waved off the goal, because our keeper was down? The goal was allowed to stand, our keeper received treatment for a few minutes, but was able to keep playing. I know that for field players, if they go down injured, the ref typically waits until there's a natural stoppage of play (such as a ball going out of bounds) before allowing the injured player to receive treatment.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Matt,
Hmmm?
If the referee has allowed play to continue thus chosen NOT to stop play, as there is no foul in the lead up, then the goal is likely to count. Perhaps the AR or VAR might be able to relay additional information the CR was unaware of but seems doubtful.

Highschool generally has a high focus on safety, not that the keeper is worth more per say than any other player but certainly he plays and fills a critical position given he is the only one who can use their hands. Diving into the feet of onrushing players is not for the faint hearted. Was the crowd/players/coaches strangely quiet given the keeper stayed down and play continued?

Initially the referee must not have registered the impact as significant, injurious or a foul.
This collision seems rather odd?
Were they both in pursuit of the ball?
Was it a accidental clash, just a tangle a coming together from diffrent angles?
Not a ferocious body shot?
Just a fall down, no bouncing hard off anything or anyone, as in a clash of heads?
The keeper obviously had NO possession of the ball at that time!

Referees suspend play ASAP if they believe a player is seriously injured & unable to continue! It becomes a bit diffrent if unsure or thinking it was no big deal only to find out the keeper leg was busted and he sat silent in shock for the whole 20 or so seconds. The keeper staying down could be a hopeful ploy the referee stops play if out of position to counter with a save?

It is a matter of conjecture if the referee was wise in allowing play to continue as a crucial part of the defence was sprawled out on the FOP. Even in hard collisions that obviously require a stoppage, the ball might wind up in the back of the net rather quickly and the stoppage is for the kick off as we attend to the injuries? These are the bang bang, quick, decisive, no doubt incidents.

It is certainly plausible this delay in determining the keeper was unable to continue could be perceived as unfair! That said keepers can be hit hard, ball rebounds back or they dróp the ball allowing the attackers an opportunity to score might not be any different than if the keeper was able to participate.

You are 100% correct, often if field players go down injured, the referee typically waits until there's a natural stoppage of play (such as a ball going out of bounds) before allowing the injured player to receive treatment but this predisposes the injury was not immediately perceived as serious!

In cases where a goal results while a player /keeper is floundering, unfortunately the referee can not alter the match results due to an error in judgement only if he erred in the LOTG or new evidence by the neutral ARS/4th proved there was a foul in the lead up.

There have been incidents where players will recognize the opposing team (keeper/player)is truly hurt and kick the ball out of play or stop play. Youth players used to take a knee trying to force stoppages if a player was simply down and appeared to be crying or possibly hurt . In rare cases, if a goal was scored that was created by the fact the (keeper/player) was actually injured or there was an unfair restart they could simply allow the kick off to dribble and score an equalizer.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Matt
Thanks for the question.

Generally when a goalkeeper is down injured and the referee is aware of it play will be stopped for the player to be assessed fairly quickly. An immediate shot on goal could stop play instantly anyway.

I watched an incident in an English Championship game in the last few days and the ball was cleared away with the referee turning to follow play immediately. As the ball went over half way it gave the officials time with mics, buzzers to highlight the *injury* to the goalkeeper. When the referee saw that the goalkeeper was staying down he halted play much to the chagrin of the home team and supporters as they believed it was a ruse to hold up play as it was near the end of the game with only one goal between the sides. It looked like the home side was about to launch a long ball back into the penalty area. Video did show he got a bang to the side of the head.
Sometimes it just may not be seen or seen quickly enough.

I also believe that the referee can get help here from both teams by pointing out an *injured* goalkeeper. I hear shouts all the time about putting the ball out of play to create a natural stoppage particularly if a referee has not seen it. A referee can get consumed in following play without having an awareness of an injury and indeed maybe even players not being aware.

It reminds me of an incident in a game between West Ham and Everton back in 2000 where the Everton goalkeeper hurt his knee trying to stop an attack inside his penalty area near the end of the game. The ball broke to a West Ham player who instantly crossed the ball into the penalty area. Di Canio of West Ham reached up and grabbed the ball halting play. He received a FIFA Fair Play award for his sportsmanship.
It did not look like a reason for the referee to halt play immediately and the DiCanio action happened within seconds of the goalkeeper staying down.
DiCanio was praised for his action while I probably think the referee would have been berated in equal measure for not stopping play had play continued and a goal been scored.

So for me there are two factors at play
One is the referee’s opinion of how serious the injury is and secondly the continuing to play with a goalkeeper down *injured*.

My advice to referees on injuries to goalkeepers is to halt play quickly in all situations yet there can be bang bang situations where play has been halted anyway with a goal or ball out of play.