Loss of equipment March 6, 2020 World Games 2014 0 Forum Questions A1 has possession and is driving toward the goal. a) B1 loses a shoe and continues to play, but is not between A1 and the goal. b) A1 loses a shoe and continues to play, shooting at the goal, which is saved by the goalkeeper. Ruling? Question File Add new DuBan's Answer: Visual Text Paragraph Kratz's Answer: Visual Text Paragraph McCarrick's Answer: Visual Text Paragraph Riti's Answer: Visual Text Paragraph Paul has this thoroughly covered. Tyma's Answer: Visual Text Paragraph First, shoes are mandatory equipment. In Rule 1 Section 9: <h4>ART. 1 . . . Mandatory equipment. Each player shall wear the following pieces of equipment...</h4> <h4>f. Shoes...</h4> The three things that matter in a loss-of-equipment scenario are <ul> <li>Is the goalkeeper missing equipment? (It doesn't apply here.)</li> <li>Is the player with missing equipment in a scrimmage area? (Yes, in both cases here.)</li> <li>If it is a defensive player who is missing equipment, is there an imminent opportunity for the offense to score without putting the defensive player in jeopardy of injury?</li> </ul> The black-and-white says that play should be suspended immediately if a player loses required equipment. In Rule 4 Section 24 : <h4>ART. 7 . . . Play shall be suspended immediately if any player, in a legal way, loses any mandatory equipment in the scrimmage area. If there is possession of the ball, the team in possession will maintain possession on the restart. If the ball is loose outside the crease, the ball will be awarded using the alternate-possession rule. If the ball is loose inside the crease, award the ball to the defensive team. If A1 loses mandatory equipment in a legal way and no other players are in the immediate vicinity, then the play may continue until A1 enters the scrimmage area or until the play is completed. A loss of equipment during the play of the game triggers an official’s time-out and should not be confused with a player entering the game without some item(s) of mandatory equipment which is a personal foul.</h4> Furthermore, Article 8 of the same section directs the officials to suspend play immediately if the goalkeeper loses any of his required equipment. In case (a), if B1 is the goalkeeper, play should obviously be stopped immediately. I'm going to assume that B1 is not the goalkeeper. Good judgment is required when a defender loses required equipment. If there is an imminent scoring opportunity for the offense, officials should determine whether an immediate stoppage of play would disadvantage the offense. Clearly, if the defender who lost equipment would be at risk of injury if the scoring chance is completed, play should be suspended. On the other hand, if there is no elevation in injury risk to that defender because he is away from the play, officials should allow the scoring chance to be completed. The two extremes here are (1) a defender who spits out his mouthpiece after being beaten by his opponent, hoping to have the scoring chance stopped by the officials; and (2) a defender in the path of play whose helmet came apart or off. Since defender B1 is described in the question as not being in the path between A1 and the goal, I take that to mean that A1 has an imminent scoring chance that should be allowed to complete. However, since B1 continues to play, he is committing a personal foul by playing without required equipment. In Rule 5: <h4>SECTION 6 USE OF ILLEGAL EQUIPMENT A player may not use equipment that does not conform to specifications. The fingers/palms of a player’s hands must be completely covered by his gloves and the gloves may not be altered in a way that compromises their protective features. Use of illegal equipment or failure to properly wear mandatory equipment will be penalized as a non-releasable foul.</h4> Technically, by the black-and-white, a flag should be thrown. But it is also technically possible that, in the heat of contest, B1 is unaware that he has lost his shoe. Using your judgment, if B1 is not at risk of injury, you could advise him to get out of the play. If he does so, you could withhold your flag. If he doesn't follow your advice, then feel free to throw the flag. If any imminent scoring opportunity is completed or ends because the offense pulls the ball out. then you can stop play per rule without disadvantaging the offense. In case (b), it is the offensive player A1 who has lost required equipment (shoe) and continued to play. By the book, of course, you would flag A1 for a personal foul. Once again, there is the (slight) possibility that A1 is unaware of it. Judgment could also be applied here: since A1 did not engage other defenders before shooting and since his shot was saved, an official could defend the proposition that the missing shoe was not detected until the goalie had made the save. In that case, you could stop play to allow A1 to put his shoe back on. Fortunately, A1 didn't score. That would be a more interesting scenario... Answer File Question Answered Yes No