Question Number: 17636

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/3/2007

RE: Youth Rec

Michael Lee of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey USA asks...

I'm a new referee with a question about what constitutes a charging foul.

All examples I have seen of charging involve a defensive player running into the ball controller in such a way that the defensive player is going mostly at the body and not the ball.

In a U10 game I refereed today, a Blue team attacker intercepted a pass near midfield and ran full tilt with the ball directly towards White team's goal. White team's last defender (other than the keeper) held a stationary position directly in the Blue attacker's path. Neither player was going to yield space. Blue attacker, being bigger and stronger, literally ran right through White defender, never losing control of the ball and firing a nice shot past the keeper. White defender was on the ground having taken an inadvertent knee to his thigh when Blue attacker ran through him.

I allowed the goal. White coach complained loudly before the restart that I should have whistled Blue attacker for charging. I answered that if I had called a foul, it would have been against White defender since that defender never made a play for the ball but instead tried to impede Blue attacker's progress by blocking the body. The fact that Blue attacker never lost control of the ball was evidence that Blue attacker was playing the ball, not the defender.

So, is there such thing as a charging foul against a moving attacker in control of the ball when the defender holds stationary ground? Does the defender hold a right to that piece of turf, like in basketball, or does the attacker have "right-of-way", or is it a 50-50 situation?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You have got to be kidding me! You allowed a goal after a player literally ran over an opponent that was standing still and didn't step in front of the player? I don't blame the White coach for complaining. You really think the White player was impeding the progress of an opponent? Impeding means MOVING in such a manner to keep an opponent from getting to the ball. Standing in a stationary position awaiting an opponent is perfectly legal. You have no concept of foul recognition and I totally blame whomever your instructors were if you are this misguided. Please retake your Grade 8 or 9 course somewhere else before you referee another game and someone gets killed!

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

You could have called two fouls against the attacker here. First you could have called charging, running a player over at full speed is an example of charging. Fair charging, equals having a foot on the ground with the contact directed at the opponent's shoulder, under control! You can't just blast in there like a tank and knock over anyone who stands in your way.

You could also have called "kicking an opponent carelessly" (kneeing is kicking), when the attacker ran through you said his knee came up and struck the opponent, its very likely if the opponent didn't move toward the attacker that the defender was injured because of the careless actions of the attacker using his knee. This should be penalized with a direct free kick.

Answer provided by Referee Jon Sommer

Please Please Please take your ref license again! You cant "run over" a player as you described. Find me in the Laws of Association Football [LOAF] where it says it is against the laws of the game to stand still while an attacker runs at you. Its very rare for me to agree with a coach on this board, but in this instance I will. He had every right to be annoyed at your ability to recognise foul play as it seems to have been truly missing in this senario

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Whoa, whoa. Let's back up here and get a premise straight. Almost any foul in the book can be committed by either team, the one in possession or the one attempting to get possession. (The few exceptions might be some of the things that apply only to goalkeepers.)

Every player has the right to his position on the field. No opponent can blast through another player like he was a linebacker on the way to sacking a quarterback. That's another game altogheter.

In an older level game, I'd say the action you described was not only a foul, but also deserving of a caution. The player with the ball showed no regard at all to the well-being of his opponent, but recklessly charged through him.

Please seek out the advice of a more senior member of your local referee association. Watch a few games that the experienced guys and gals do. The best way to learn foul recognition is on the field. Watch what someone else calls, and ask why she called that.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Michael because there is no historical record about The Game in America the stuff you should have learned from your father and he learned from his you didn't get told a player is entitled to the ground on which he stands. That means NO ONE is entitled to that spot on the earth but him and the only way he may be moved from it is shoulder to shoulder when trying to make space to play the ball. What you allowed was a player to use more force than necessary in his play and that placed an opponent is considerable danger of harm. That's the definition of excessive force being used. That is a sending-off.

It might be of value for you to get intouch with some referees who are more advanced in grade than you and have them evaluate your foul recognition. You might even benefit from a Development and Guidance look by an assessor.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Michael,
as you can infer from the responses your actions have us concerned as safety of the players is always our #1 concern. We protect the players by enforcing the laws of the game that prohibit foul play. No one here doubts your sincerity in trying to administer the laws of the game. Those watching often want immediate perfection by all referees. The reality is you are new and need to understand that foul recognition is a new referees greatest undertaking, takes a long while to grasp what is or what is not and whether the players can accept more or less of it in each match.

Be wary of the 50/50 either the act is fair or it is foul. Much occurs in the context of players moving or in your case not moving as to the eyes, body language, line of sight to the ball and the nature and force in the effort to win the ball.

It would appear that not all instructions by those who taught you are ahem, correct. Only perfect practice makes perfect. Either that or you were absent on the days, day, hours, minutes seconds, moment they talked about what charging or impeding was?
Please seek out experienced colleagues for mentoring, training and do not hesitate to use this or other resources as you find your way on the pitch.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Couple of things, Michael. One, don't explain calls to coaches. Two, keep refereeing and ask questions all the time - that's how we learn or refine what we learned. As my colleagues have noted, a player has a right to their space on the field and another player cannot take it from them in an unfair manner. When the Blue player "ran through" the White player, an alarm should have sounded in your head as in "Oops, I don't think players in this game are allowed to do full body blocks." Or, "Wow, that was way too violent for this age and skill group - white player is down and hurt." Whistle. Caution Blue player for unsporting behavior (most likely for U10, but not set in stone), assuming one doesn't send him off for serious foul play or violent conduct (quite possible, given your description of the incident, the speed, force and deliberate action by the attacker). Restart with direct free kick for White team for charging or kicking offense offense (pick one), after calling on assistance for injured player if needed. Call senior referee or other mentor and ask questions. Read your Law Book, get a copy of the Advice to Referees and absorb it. And, write us back with another question.

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