Question Number: 30355

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/27/2016

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30345

As a practical matter, the referee usually doesn't know if there's a PIOP because the AR won't flag it until the PIOP affects play & the referee is focused on the play near the ball. The fouled player probably won't realize it either.

If the fouled player passes the ball to the PIOP within 3-4 seconds after being fouled, would you say that he has squandered the advantage or go back to the foul?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
For me it is a squandered advantage. I had one at the weekend where the player was fouled, he kept going so I played advantage and a good few f seconds later he passed the ball to a PIOP so I called the offside on the basis that advantage had been realised. A subsequent poor choice or a squander 4/5+ seconds later after advantage is just a poor play so the foul is not called.
Now it can be a tricky call and the team moaned about no advantage. I just said that the player made a poor choice of play as he could have chosen otherwise. There is a fine line in the time window of when to go back to the foul. In my case the player had got past the foul and it was play on. If the foul influenced the player into playing the ball immediately to a PIOP then the foul is called as there is no advantage.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It's squandered because the player had the ability to choose to pass to the PIOP or not. It's no different than if he hadn't been fouled. If the ball is passed to an offside positioned player, it's offside. We don't make excuses about the kicker not knowing the player is in an offside position.

Only if what the ref thought of as advantage was a pass to a PIOP, then there was no advantage.

Answer provided by Referee James Sowa

Phil,

It would truly depend on the situation and I believe it may change based on the game situation that day. After 3 or 4 seconds, I would tend to say that the advantage has been squandered but there are always other factors.

For example, consider the age and skill level. Was the 'advantage' truly an advantage. I tend to be more lenient (3-5 seconds) at younger ages than I am with adults. Also, consider the atmosphere of the game. Has the game 'temperature' risen necessitating a foul call? Finally, keep in mind options. If you as the referee are awarding the advantage BECAUSE of the pass available to the player in an offside position, then there was never truly advantage and a foul should be called.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Phil,
If the player has passed the ball to the PIOP then I would agree that this is a squandered advantage.
If, however, it's one of those 'wait and see' moments, the referee can see that a player is free but immediately after the foul the player with the ball makes a pass under pressure to the PIOP then the argument could be made that while he had 'possession' he never had 'opportunity' (he couldn't hold onto the ball himself and there was nobody legal to pass it to), so that would go back to the foul.
Similarly, if the ball carrier is fouled and the loose ball then goes to a PIOP, then the correct decision is to go back to the foul, as it's not the attacking team's fault the offside offence was committed so you couldn't consider that a squandered advantage.