"You Make the Call" Archive

Scenario:  A player comes into the penalty area with the ball and takes a shot losing his shoe in the process. The goalkeeper makes the save but cannot control the ball. The goalkeeper dives for the loose ball but comes up only with the shoe. As another attacker takes a shot the goalkeeper throws the shoe at the ball deflecting it across the goal line. 

You are the ref, what is your decision?

Survey Results:
I want to thank you all of you who took the time to get involved in this exercise. The results are as follows:
1. Unsporting Behavior, Caution Keeper, Indirect free kick for opponents: 60 (36%)
2. Unsporting Behavior, Caution Keeper, Corner Kick:  21 (13%)
3. Unsporting Behavior, Caution Keeper, Goal Kick:  5 (3%)
3. Denying a goal scoring opportunity, Send-off, Penalty Kick:  30 (18%)
4. Denying a goal scoring opportunity, Send-off, Indirect:  10 (6%)
5. Outside agent interference (shoe), drop ball:  20 (12%)
6. Goal:  14 (8%)
7. Dangerous play, Indirect free kick for the keeper's team:  3 (2%)
8. Nothing, keep playing:  3 (2%)

Answer to Situation #109:

"Stop play, caution the goalkeeper for unsporting behavior for bringing the game into disrepute.

The goalkeeper action is not a foul but it is a misconduct.  The shoe thrown by the keeper is an extension of his hand and he is the only one that is allowed to handle the ball within his penalty area.

Restart with an indirect free kick in favor of the attacking team at the spot where the shoe made contact with the ball, subject to special circumstances in Law 8.  Within the meaning of the law this is not an obvious goal scoring opportunity."

Survey Results:
I want to thank you all of you who took the time to get involved in this exercise.
The results are as follows:
1. Caution, drop ball 2 (1%)
2. Nothing, keep on playing 15 (13%)
3. Show Red card, drop ball 73 (62%)
4. Show Red card, indirect free kick 1 (.08%)
5.  Make a report to the proper authorities, no card 28 (23%)

Answer to situation #110:
Once a player is substituted and in this case he is on the way to the dressing room, the referee cannot take any disciplinary action against the player, because this player is no longer under his jurisdiction. No card should be shown for his "off the field" action.  However the referee must inform his coach that the incident will be reported to the proper authorities.  If the referee stops the game for this incident, the restart is a dropped ball taken from where the ball was when play was stopped, subject to the conditions imposed by Law 8.  If play was stopped for any other reason, the restart will be accordingly.