It is a very common scene in football when players are not in agreement with referee’s verdict. Be it right or wrong, referee’s decision is based on his interpretation of the law. But sometimes referees are bound to make apparently strange decisions based on the law. When a player takes his shirt off, it is an unsporting offence but when he screams in the referees face, it isn’t. Here are top 5 strange football rules you must know now.
1. If the referee doesn’t notice a foreign object, play continues regardless of whether it intervenes.
If a foreign object enters the field the referee can stop the game to remove it, but if the referee hasn’t noticed the foreign object until it actually affects play then it’s too late and the interference has to stand. Such as back in 2009 when Sunderland beat Liverpool courtesy of well executed finish from a beach ball. Another example was when Sheffield United had some help from a balloon when they knocked Manchester City out of the FA Cup in 2008. While Paul Peschisolido scored for Derby against
2. A substitute cannot take a corner or a throw-in to restart the match.
A substitute cannot take a corner or a throw-in to restart the match if he has just entered the field of play. The reasoning behind this is that if he takes the throw-in or corner he hasn’t technically entered the pitch before he has touched the ball.
3. It is illegal for a goalkeeper to roll his sleeves up.
It is illegal for a goalkeeper to roll his sleeves up or wear a short sleeve shirt. This is because when punching the ball in a crowd of players the referee can easily identify the goal keeper’s arms in the melee.
4. If a player does a trick to avoid a back-pass it’s an automatic booking.
If a player does a trick to avoid a back pass, i.e. he flicks it up with his foot or chest and then heads it back to his keeper; it is a yellow card offense. Even if the keeper does not pick it up, it is still a booking as the player has already committed the offense.
5. If an own goal is scored from a free-kick (be it indirect or direct) or a throw-in; a corner, not a goal is awarded to the opposition.
This infamous video shows same side goal of Peter Enckelman vs Birmingham city. But as he did not touch the ball, it was not a legal goal!
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