Question Number: 30761

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/14/2016

RE: Rec Adult

Shannon of Grass Lake, MI US asks...

I officiated an adult recreation game and made a call that was widely disputed (by the team whose player committed the foul). The player who committed the foul is a fellow referee and was vehemently disputing the call. The player who had the ball was in an offensive position and the defender was closely marking the player. The offensive player left the ball to 'charge' (hockey check, but was shoulder to shoulder) the defender and once he won the challenge and gained the advantage the offensive player went back to playing the ball. The defender was thrown off balance and stumbled to the ground. I whistled for a foul, and the player who committed the foul as well as half the team was up in arms stating that the charge was fair, since it was shoulder to shoulder.

The play was unusual. I usually see the defender racing across the field with no intent to play the ball and shoulder charge the offensive player (many times like a hockey check) and time and time again I don't see it called, because it was shoulder to shoulder.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have always believed that if there is no intent to play the ball, but to solely gain advantage that a charge even if shoulder to shoulder is illegal. I have been looking for clarification on this, but can't find a definitive answer. I have found much debate on this subject (fair shoulder charges), but no black and white answer.

What constitutes a fair shoulder charge? If there is no intent to play the ball even if shoulder to shoulder is it a foul? Was I wrong in my decision? In this case the ball was in playing distance, since the player had control of it. However, those few seconds the player took to commit the charge he did not have control of the ball, but it was still in playing distance.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Shannon
The Laws of the Game require an element of tacit knowledge. There are many part to the law that are not spelled out explicitly and we are left to interpret same with help from what is understood / expected / advised in the game.
In respect of a legal charge the Law tells us that it is a challenge for space using physical contact within playing distance of the ball without using arms or elbows. So the hip , shoulder can be used. For those of us in the game a long time the laws did allow a higher level of contact in the past on charging. GKs used to be charged regularly once they came out of the goal area. At higher level of the game physicality is greater and referees do allow more robust charging than say would be acceptable in underage, youths, recreation games.
In the modern game if the contact is in the chest or back area then that is deemed to be careless, reckless which makes it a foul.
As to the level of acceptable force shoulder to shoulder I describe it as easing a player off the ball, that is the challenge for space. If the referee deems the charge / challenge to be careless then it is a foul
Careless means that the player has shown a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge or that he acted without precaution.
# No further disciplinary sanction is needed if a foul is judged to be careless
Reckless means that the player has acted with complete disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, his opponent.
# A player who plays in a reckless manner must be cautioned.
A player running along side an opponent and he uses his shoulder on the opponents shoulder / side to move him away from the ball then that is not a foul. Yes sometimes the charged player can lose his balance and fall yet there has been no excessive action used and an appropriate amount of force was used to make space. I might also point out that one of the difficulties that referee have in this is mismatches in size and strength. When a large strong player charges a smaller opponent with perhaps little effort the smaller opponent can be easily knocked to the ground then we have to just consider that for what it is, a mismatch.
In this video there is a charge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUCPFrOV8JM
Is it legal. Certainly the level of force used is low. The question is whether an arm was used to push the opponent. It is debateable and as the players accepted it as legal the referee correctly IMO allowed play to continue
In this one the referee sees it as a foul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWz2DEcSkqM
Was the shoulder into the players chest? He admits to using the shoulder yet that is only one element of a charge being legal.
Have a look at these clips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u6cHvsTArE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quqk637UI50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qhKJgaGPt8
All are illegal.
Now in this last one below I might see that one going unpunished in certain games. I do not have any difficulty with the referees call of a penalty kick in this ladies games and neither does the players
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OzBMZnZl7g

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Shannon,
it is embarrassing at how often a referee, when acting as a player will countermand the integrity and code of respect by publically disputing the on field CR's instructions. lol
The LOTG stipulate that CHARGING is a foul!
You are not wrong on how you view it and the information and experience you try to use to arrive at a fair decision
The ability to shoulder off an opponent has more to do with equal footing , force and speed. Look at the intersection of opposing angles where the body is used to charge the opponent off the ball? A FAIR challenge must be more of a stride for stride rather than a running into jump or charge as a shoulder check into a slower moving target. In effect it is more a leaning in against, provided it is not a push down. Larger taller players can push down smaller ones where smaller players will jump up to achieve shoulder contact both are fouls. Yet a larger player can often nudge aside a smaller player as physical mass and momentum are invaluable aids and not the product of a foul. My colleague Ref McHugh reference of an easing off the ball is more in keeping with what constitutes a fair shoulder challenge than forceful intersections of momentum.
Cheers