We were sent an amazing video by one of our readers and requested for us to clarify the rulings for such a situation. Do watch the clip below to understand what the problem is!
Well, what do you think? The ball was goal bound when the physio of the opponents decides to enter the field of play and deliberately prevented a goal. We never knew what happened in that game or what the referee's decision was, but here's what the Law Book has to say for such a situation:
Analysis
Under Law 3 - The Number of Players - Team Officials:
If a team official enters the field of play:
- the referee must stop play (although not immediately if the team official does not interfere with play or if the advantage can be applied)
- the referee must have him removed from the field of play and if his behaviour is irresponsible, the referee must expel him from the field of play and its immediate surroundings
- if the referee stops the match, he must restart play with a dropped ball in the position where the ball was at the time when the match was stopped, unless play was stopped inside the goal area, in which case the referee drops the ball on the goal area line (6 yard box) parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the ball was located when play was stopped
Conclusion
Based on the above, the only thing that can be done by the referee is to restart play with a drop ball and expel the physio from the game. He should not award a goal as play was stopped without the ball entering the goal.
While we recognize this may be unfair to the attacking team, we do however feel that the defending team should directly concede a goal from the drop ball in the spirit of fair play.
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