Question Number: 30906

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/17/2016

RE: rec, select Under 15

gary of nashua, nh usa asks...

What constitutes a legal shoulder challenge?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Gary
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
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 I describe it as easing a player off the ball, that is the challenge for space. In your example where the player runs at an opponent from distance and knocks them to the ground shoulder to shoulder that is certainly careless, perhaps reckless which is a foul.
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 don't have any difficulty with the referees call of a penalty kick and neither does the players
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OzBMZnZl7g

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Gary,
a legal charge is one performed using a reasonable shoulder to shoulder nudge to force the opponent off or away from the ball. It is not a bowling exercise where you ram another leaving your feet. You can not cram the shoulder into the back or chest but you should be running side by side. Almost without fail it is a unfair charge if it occurs at intersecting angles. To a certain extent your arm and the opponent arm will be trying to push away as well. A solid stiff arm shiver is blatantly not fair as is grabbing the shirt also unfair but there will be some allowance for a brush off by you both seeking separation using your hips and forearms. There are plenty of examples of what is not permitted but equally plenty of examples gone unclaimed or uncalled that appear as harsh, hence the confusion you and others face . We use the term easing off to make the pushing seem palatable but as in your match it will be your decision and your reputation based on the choices you make and the level of contact you permit . It is most difficult for a Smaller player and a Larger player to charge each other successfully or fairly as one has to jump up and the other leans down or pushes both are fouls of a sort. Although you need to consider the fact of careless, reckless and excessive when a smaller player occasionally bounces off a larger one, it is sometime just a matter of simple physics not foul
Your tolerance for what is fair mingled with the players' acceptance of what they will accept as fair, it is always a juggling act to blend the two.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Gary,

If by legal, you mean 'as defined in the Laws' then unfortunately I have to say that there is no clear definition or explicit guidance in the actual laws document. The only applicable wording to be found really, merely tells us that any challenge must not be careless, reckless or use excessive force. So that can, as a minimum, be applied to shoulder charges such that any use of the shoulder which in the opinion of the referee is careless or worse, is not allowed.

Beyond that, as ref McHugh mentions, we have to apply a level of tacit knowledge. In general, where players are alongside each other, both moving in the same direction and there is a leaning-in with the shoulder of one player into the shoulder of the other, that is permissible. However if the shoulder is used to contact other part of the opponent's body, or the players meet at intersecting angles then most referees will start to look at it askance. The amount of force used, closing speed and relative direction of travel are all factors to be considered.

In the end though, there is still a fair amount of room for interpretation.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 30916