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I’ve said many times that the people who know the least shout the loudest and there’s nothing worse that a loud-mouthed individual who professes to know it all, but actually knows nothing.
There was an interesting video recently on Facebook of a game in which a referee had awarded a penalty.
Doesn’t matter what the penalty was for, it was awarded and the players from both teams took up their positions, as did the defending goalkeeper and the referee and his assistant.
Now you have to use your imagination here, unless you’ve already seen the video.
The keeper is on his line. The kicker is preparing himself to take the penalty and is waiting for the signal from the referee to proceed.
The referee gives the signal and the kick is taken in accordance with the laws of the game.
Now this is when the fun begins.
The ball hits the crossbar, rebounds out, hits the referee (who is in his correct position) and appears to enter the net.
What’s your decision? Now don’t take an eternity to think about it or to consult your friends, YouTube or other outlets.
This is your chance to be the ref (if you’re not already one) and you have a split second to decide.
I was reading the differing comments and it’s amazing how little the public knows when it comes to the laws of the game.
And there were quite a few of the aforementioned loudmouths who got it wrong and tried to convince anyone who was prepared to read their utterances that they were right.
I will give you the answer shortly, but first I want to give you some clues by quoting from the “bible” of football – the Fifa laws of the game.
Law 9 – Ball in and out of play states:
“The ball is in play at all times including when it rebounds off a match official, goalpost, crossbar, flagpole and remains in the field of play.”
Any clues there?
Ok, I’ll put you out of your misery.
Assuming the ball did cross the line 100% after coming off the referee’s head – the goal stands. It’s a goal.
Here’s another clue.
How many times have you seen the ball hit the referee, unintentionally, in the middle of the field of play?
Several, I would suggest. Decision? Play on.
In effect, the ref is just like the flags and goal posts – he or she is essentially part of the “furniture” on the field of play.
Yes, I know it might be hard to swallow.
But if the ball hits a referee who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and it goes into the net, it is a goal.
You will notice today that referees are no longer entering the penalty area unless it’s absolutely necessary for fear of being hit with the ball or even have the ball deflected off them.
In times gone past, we were always told to get into the box because that’s where all the pushing and shoving goes on and it would appear that many referees are turning a “blind eye” in the interest of expediency which, in my opinion, is totally wrong.
There is a happy medium and perhaps there is a better position they could take up to deal with such incidents of shirt pulling and tripping.
It’s difficult for referees to be everywhere all the time to see everything that goes on. But, for the most part, they do a damn fine job, and long may it continue.
Happy whistling!
. sports@citypress.co.za
. Follow me on Twitter @dr_errol
