Question Number: 30803

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/22/2016

RE: Intermediate Under 14

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30792

Suppose an attacker is dribbling down the line & a defender behind him goes out of bounds to go around him. If they were then running side by side, couldn't either one of them charge the other, shoulder to shoulder? I mean, if both had been side by side & both on the field, they could, so wouldn't you consider the fact that one was off just as both trying to play the ball?
Thanks in advance,

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Phil,

Something that is not an offence on the field of play would not normally be seen as an offence just because the players are off the field, assuming that both are there as part of a natural playing movement, both are making a genuine attempt to play the ball and this doesn't go on for an unusually extended period of time.

Usually, if players do go off the field to play the ball, they would not be expected to stay there too long and if something is going on that is keeping them there unnecessarily, the referee would probably choose to intervene, especially if it seems one of the players is more at fault than the other.

For instance, if you are referring to the scenario where one player is off the field and another player is preventing him from returning, that would be holding, which is an offence on or off the field of play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
What you describe is not a foul. Players are entitled to go off the field of play as part of a playing movement which can be challenging for the ball including a legal charge. One would expect though that the players would not be there for very long plus the charge is not constant contact. Constant contact IMO can be holding and that is a foul. Trying to keep the ball close to the line for any length of period would be very difficult. Invariably what happens is the ball get kicked out of play or play turns inward.