Removing shirt before goal
- Thread starter Degnann
- Start date
Just to see if there was any debate with it being removed prior to the goal being scored
A shirt is 'compulsory equipment'. There's provision for accidentally losing compulsory equipment but not intentionally removing a shirt, shorts, socks, shin guard and footwear
I've never seen this scenario before, so it's an interesting one.... but I'm sure we're all just cautioning for 'excessive celebration'
Isn't there?
For any offence, play need not be stopped and the player:
• is instructed by the referee to leave the field of play to correct the equipment.
• leaves when play stops, unless the equipment has already been corrected.
one
RefChat Addict
I'm sure letting the player know I had just done him a favour so don't have to caution him would save me there.
socal lurker
RefChat Addict
Hmm. Is a celebration caution, including removing the shirt technically USB or delaying the restart? If it’s delaying the restart, it can’t have occurred before the goal. But if it is USB, then it happened while the ball is in play and it should be an IFK. But in the real world, no ref is calling back a goal for that.
Peter Grove
RefChat Addict
Isn't the debate whether, if you're giving a YC, then since it's for an offence that was committed before the goal was scored, should the goal therefore be disallowed?
As others have said, no referee is probably going to disallow here but it's an interesting technical question.
Peter Grove
RefChat Addict
Are you sure about that? I think it could easily be put under the category of a 'premature celebration'.
At first, when I'd only seen a written description of the events I thought perhaps it was not a celebration, but maybe some form of taunting. However, having watched the video, it certainly looks to me like he is indeed, celebrating the goal before scoring it.
one
RefChat Addict
We are talking sematics though aren't we? Debating for the sake of a debate. And I get that 
We all know what the intent of this law is and disallowing a goal is far too big of a punishment. But it does definitely need a caution. Allowing the goal and cautioning won't be the first time the decision won't match the exact wording in a law that doesn't cover edge cases. But it would be very well aligned with what just about everyone would expect and the intent of the law was.
We all know what the intent of this law is and disallowing a goal is far too big of a punishment. But it does definitely need a caution. Allowing the goal and cautioning won't be the first time the decision won't match the exact wording in a law that doesn't cover edge cases. But it would be very well aligned with what just about everyone would expect and the intent of the law was.
What would we do if this was happening in another part of the pitch? In their own half, heading towards the half way line and they removed their shirt. What would we do then?
That's an interesting point.
Our FA have Goal Celebrations down as Unsporting Behaviour.
I was being a bit flippant in that what are we debating question. As I can't think that anyone would go down that route..however since we are here and I alluded to what we might like to do, I'll join in sensibly
Relevant laws here as far as I can tell are law 4 and law 12.
Removal of the shirt, with ball in play is law 4 offence. And as we've covered does not require play to be stopped.
I hold the opinion that a goal can't be celebrated unless the ball has physically crossed the line and a goal is scored. A celebration of sorts can happen before, but until the ball is in the net and out of play, can it be called a goal celebration?
Anything before the goal is either law 4 offence, or I think at a stretch is USB, showing a lack of respect for the game and that would be a free kick offence, but I just don't see a world where I'd go down that path. Goal > Yellow Card > Kick off.
This is a pointless debate on the face of it
However, like all of these threads, it serves a purpose because it encourages us to interpret aspects of the book we may otherwise overlook
The discussions lead to in-depth understanding of lines we'd ordinarily skim read
However, like all of these threads, it serves a purpose because it encourages us to interpret aspects of the book we may otherwise overlook
The discussions lead to in-depth understanding of lines we'd ordinarily skim read
socal lurker
RefChat Addict
They’re a couple of contexts that I would deviate from the standard view of giving a caution and letting the goal stand. If the player did more than just remove the shirt and did something to taunt an opponent, I’d have the caution before the goal and disallow for USB. And if it was a blow out already (especially if it had a high temperature as some do), I’d consider the premature removal sufficiently unsporting to cancel the goal—in that context I think cancelling the goal would be conducive to game control as opposed to suicidal.
Absolutely sure. You can't celebrate a goal hasn't been scored, and unless I am missing something obvious law doesn't reference a "premature celebration".