I didn't see this posted elsewhere, so...an article from Soccer America I for one will be shocked if they actually follow through on calling more fouls on GKs
It’s not a point of emphasis, though. I think what you’re seeing is a reaction and follow-up to that late PK called last year in Vancouver. Essentially this is Webb and PRO telling everyone “yes, that was correct—so expect that call to be made going forward.” We’ve had a history in our game of letting things go on goalkeepers while a focus on head injuries has evolved. Now is the moment—finally—where the authorities are saying “if we are going to be serious about treating and preventing head injuries, that means also punishing all foul play that leads to head injuries.” I also have my doubts that this will be consistently applied immediately, because this is a change of culture for everyone—especially referees. But telling teams that goalkeepers no longer have carte blanche is the first step on the road to making sure a consistent application evolves and, eventually, such calls become expected.
Regarding the point about handling violent conduct, even if play has restarted, is that enterpretation in line with the laws of the game since typically action can’t be taken after play has restarted.
I believe so, yes. Though there has been some debate on this in the past. Don’t have the Laws in front of me, but... I believe there’s verbiage about how assistants and the fourth are obligated to report VC immediately and the referee is obligated to act once informed. The way I remember the totality of it all, it reads as though if play has stopped and restarted before the referee gets informed of VC, the referee is still obligated to act on the report. Think Zidane headbutt in 2006. Comms systems have made this mostly a moot point at the professional level, but it still can occur when a quick restart happens before a referee gets told about VC. Anyway, with VARs, obviously there is a greater window for new information coming to light. So it sounds like the instructions have been modified to account for this reality.
I’m trying to remember the match and then I can dig it up. Will be easier on a laptop but I’m very certain it was in Vancouver and pretty late in the year. Was a delayed call.
8:04 at this version of Instant Replay: https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017...they-ll-never-forget-vancouver-instant-replay