Question Number: 30149

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/27/2016

RE: Adult

Rob of London, UK asks...

If a player goes in to a slide tackle with force and wins the ball fairly with his leading leg but makes contact with the opponent with his trailing leg. Is this a free kick and should this be a red card.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Rob,
the hard work of winning the ball was done but if a trailing leg is out in behind on a proper tackle then there should be no foul. It is usually the scissoring action of the trail leg that cuts out the feet out from under the opponent instead of the opponent falling over you that creates a foul and looked at in a cardable light. Unless you are going through the player, then the manner and force used will be looked at in a careless, reckless or excessive fashion but it certainly is not an auto red card.

A DFK for a trip or attempt to trip is lessened by getting to the ball first but subsequent force and direction can turn good work into a poor foul in a hurry.
Yet I have seen many a well done slide tackle get incorrectly called as a foul because the opponent (who had revealed too much off the ball) fell over the sliding player who played said ball with impeccable timing. In my opinion if a well done slide tackle carries you out in front of the player there is likely no foul but if you are going through the opponent or swing the free leg around to scissor or sweep or using your arms to grab or trip causing him to be swept off his feet through your mass rather then him falling over you is where 'I got the ball ref!' is not going to save you!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

'But ref, I got the ball!' The referee's proper reply is, 'Yes, and then you got the player.'

And depending on the severity, it could be a foul, a foul plus caution, or a foul plus red card for serious foul play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Rob
Many years ago the wording of Law 12 in the Laws of the Game was changed. It is now reads that it is an offence to tackle in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force.
That was always the case yet the wording before the change read *tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball* which suggested that if the ball was played first that there might be no foul on subsequent contact. Not so
It is now without doubt that a challenge that follows through on an opponent in a reckless manner even if the ball is played first is a foul and a caution and if excessive force is used it is a red card.
Now each tackle will be different and it is up to the referee to make a decision on what he sees. For instance a scissor tackle with the trailing leg coming across the player will be dealt with harshly by the referee and rightly so.
As described by you my view that once the trailing leg comes through there is a strong element of a two footed challenge which is a no no in the game. The player has no control of his actions and it is only a matter of timing if one or two legs are together or not. That is most likely to be a dismissal.
Here is a tackle that plays the ball yet follows through into the player causing a serious injury
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=StgVpyQqWPI
IMHO this should have been a red card for serious foul player yet the referee did not see it even as a foul because the White player played the ball first. The law is there to prevent this type of challenge.