I think ive find something regarding keeper's protection in the goal area...
http://www.ussoccer.com/referees/conten ... ageid=6673
"Purpose of the Goal Area
Question: The significance of the Penalty Area with respect to the goalkeeper, direct free kick fouls, and ball-in-play is generally well understood. However, the significance of the Goal Area is less well understood. Would you please explain the special significance of the Goal Area and how that may affect play?
Answer: The goal area is used to define the location for the taking of goal kicks. It also serves as a location for restarts for free kicks awarded to the defending team inside its own goal area, which may be taken from any point in the goal area. The line parallel to the goal line and defining the goal area (the "six-yard line") is used as the location for indirect free kicks to the attacking team for infringements occurring inside the goal area or for dropped balls for stoppages inside the goal area after temporary stoppages. In both the latter cases the restart is taken from the point on the line nearest to where the ball was located when play was stopped.
Prior to the Law changes of 1997, the goal area was also used to define a region in which the goalkeeper could be charged fairly while holding the ball, but
now referees must observe carefully any charge against the goalkeeper, regardless of the circumstances, location of the action, or presence of the ball, and penalize the action only if it is committed carelessly, recklessly, or with excessive force (direct free kick) or is performed in a dangerous manner (indirect free kick)."
some might say, that was not carelessly, recklessly, nor was it done with excessive force or was it dangerous by any means, a matter of opinion i guess. im still looking deeper into the case
btw, that is said by the US Referee Program Office though, im still looking for UEFA's opinion on this, or if its actually a IFAB's rule or sumthing :s
EDIT: Ok, so what i understand from my researches, is that in the 97 Laws of the game this "carelessly, recklessly, blah blah" text appeared on the rules, but not specifically applying to keepers in goal area, refs thou were advised by the federations (which received the advise from Fifa, prolly) that comunicated the changes to them to take special care of charges against the keeper in goal area. in the last "Laws of the game" document this reckless blah blah stuff was replaced by a different text, but the advise still applys. ^^ im not sure about this, its just me speculating.
This prolly sounds like a lot of BS to u lol.
This question seems to be really complex than what i thought at the beginning and its hard for me to prove, i think i'll quit. The english can keep the moaning, and i'll remain sad for feeling the english are depreciating our victory
