NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Twenty-One Deaths Prompt Warning - CPSC Issues New Guidelines On Soccer Goal Safety

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today issued new safety guidelines to prevent movable soccer goals from tipping over and crushing children who climb on them or hang from the crossbar.

CPSC Chairman Ann Brown said, "We want kids to have fun, be active, and play soccer with goals that are safely anchored into the ground. Soccer organizations, schools and recreation departments should adopt these voluntary guidelines to save lives and prevent injuries." The new CPSC guidelines address the design, use, storage, and set-up of movable soccer goals, which have been responsible for at least 21 deaths and hundreds of injuries since 1979. Most of these deaths and injuries occurred with unanchored homemade goals including those assembled by high school shop classes and community businesses.

In one case an 8-year-old child was fatally injured when the movable soccer goal he was climbing tipped over and struck him on the head. In another case, a 20-year-old man died from massive head trauma when he pulled a goal down on himself while attempting to do chin-ups. Another incident involved a 9-year-old who was fatally injured when a goal was tipped over by a gust of wind. In addition to fatal accidents, soccer goal-related incidents account for approximately 120 emergency-room treated injuries each year. All goals, whether homemade or manufactured, should be properly secured to the ground to avoid accidents associated with tipover.

CPSC developed the safety guidelines taking into consideration the rules and regulations of national and international soccer associations. CPSC is working with manufacturers, soccer coaches, school officials, and others to distribute the new guidelines. For a copy of the CPSC "Guidelines for Movable Soccer Goal Safety," send a postcard to CPSC, Washington, D.C. 20207.

Free warning labels, additional copies of the CPSC guidelines, and information about anchoring devices are available from the Coalition to Promote Soccer Goal Safety at the Soccer Industry Council of America, 200 Castlewood Drive, North Palm Beach, FL 33408. Coalition representatives can be contacted by calling (800) 527-7510, (800) 243-0533, (800) 334-4625, or (800) 531-4252.