Question Number: 30930

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/20/2016

RE: High School

Iain of Las Vegas, NV USA asks...

Where in the LOTG does it address trickery

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Iain,
I would not bother using this term it is misleading and not truly incorporated within the substance of the LOTG although I would say its effect on the spirit has historical significance. FIFA and high school NFHS have slight differences in application. They use RULES in NFHS Rule 12-8-f, unsporting conduct deals with many forms of trickery which result in a caution!
Whereas in FIFA there are LAWS which also have guidelines made available to officials in how to apply the spirit of those laws.
Under FIFA LAW 12 FOULS AND MISCONDUCT trickery is not described as such with but one reference to the word trick but the actions are classified as a form of MISCONDUCT because it is an act of USB that attacks the spirit of why laws are introduced to maintain fair play.

Although almost every LOTG has a version of USB trickery in some form, although they may not be described as trickery per say. however, it is easy to see certain acts as USB and the reasoning of those that would do such deeds whether you call it trickery or cheating or deception or diving or simulation or illegal feinting is hardly of importance, the issue is such acts are not tolerated, call them what you will. Trickery is another word for cheating, it is not tactical surprise or smart play or a judicious use of skill, it is a detriment to the game and a blight on anyone's integrity who tries it!

Here are some examples you decide if trickery is a term required to describe.
If you seek the word trickery you will no longer find it within the LOTG. A partial version within LAW 12 FOULS and MISCONDUCT one can find the word TRICK and this could apply to LAW 13 as well.
• uses a deliberate "trick" to pass the ball (including from a free kick) to the goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee etc. to circumvent the Law, whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with the hand

LAW 14 PENALTY KICK
(e.g. illegal feinting) l

LAW 11 OFFSIDE
A defending player who leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission shall be considered to be on the goal line or touchline for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage in play or until the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside their penalty area. If the player left the field of play deliberately, the player must be cautioned when the ball is next out of play

LAW 12 Fouls and Misconduct have a plethora of USB actions one could define as trickery note these Cautions for unsporting behaviour
There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour including if a player:
• attempts to deceive the referee e.g. by feigning injury or pretending to have been fouled (simulation)
• changes places with the goalkeeper during play or without the referee’s permission
• commits in a reckless manner a direct free kick offence
• commits a foul or handles the ball to interfere with or stop a promising attack
• handles the ball in an attempt to score a goal (whether or not the attempt is successful) or in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent a goal
•  makes unauthorised marks on the field of play also LAW 1 The Field
• plays the ball when leaving the field of play after being given permission to leave
•  shows a lack of respect for the game
•  verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Iain
You mention LotG which refers to FIFA games. NFHS has its own set of Rules.
Anyway it depends on what one means by trickery. The word trickery evokes something illegal yet there are legal and illegal trickery. One can mean cheating while on the legal side guile. Legal trickery typically is feinting, dummying, flicks ups to go past opponents, showing no interest in play and then suddenly getting involved, taking a quick restart when least expected etc. All perfectly acceptable as guile.
On the illegal side the most common ones which while not referred to in the Laws specifically other then the trick to circumvent are
Simulation or diving to win a free kick or penalty - Law 12
Faking an injury - Law 12
Shouting at an opponent to distract or deceive - Law 12
Goalkeepers marking a line on the ground in the goal area. -Law 1
Stopping at the moment of a kick during a penalty kick. - Law 14
Circumvention of the deliberate kick to the GK - Law 12

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Iain,

As I see it, this question could be answered in two ways. One is to address trickery in a more general sense, the other is to restrict the answer to the actual use of the word in the Laws/Rules.

My colleagues have included examples based on the use of the word in a broader sense so I'll adopt the other approach.

In both the Laws of the Game and NFHS rules, trickery is only directly addressed in one place, which is in a section of Law 12 that relates to a deliberate trick used to circumvent the provision that precludes a player kicking the ball deliberately to the player's own goalkeeper.

The NFHS rules contain the following:

''Players may not use trickery to circumvent Articles 3 and 4 [of Law 12]. Example: Players may not flick the ball with their feet to their own head, chest, knee and then pass it to their own goalkeeper who touches it with the hands.''

The LotG wording is as follows:

''There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour including if a player:
[...]
uses a deliberate trick to pass the ball (including from a free kick) to the goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee etc. to circumvent the Law, whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with the hands''

While other practices might be considered as trickery under a broader definition of the word, they are not specifically defined as such within either code.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Iain,
The other referees gave you good examples of trickery.

NFHS Rule 12-8-f, unsporting conduct deals with many forms of trickery which result in a caution: They include: Coaching outside the team box; unnecessary delay; grabbing an opponents shirt; deliberate verbal tactics; faking an injury; simulating a foul; and deliberate tactical foul. Also, the definition of unsporting conduct allows the referee to caution the player for any other trickery that he/she deems as unsporting conduct.

However, trickery is not a defined term in the NFHS rules and should not be used as a reason to penalize a player. The actual offense should be stated when cautioning a player. This is especially important in high school play where the soccer field is considered an extension of the classroom and education of the student-athlete is one of the main goals of participation in the game.