Question Number: 30972

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/29/2016

RE: Adult

Damien of Athens, Attika Greece asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30915

To add to the previews question i would like if you could clarify the following.

'Tackle with studs showing and any tackle that endangered the safety of an opponent.' should be a send off.

As an example do you think Marchisio in the following video should be send off?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8L9xAgvnGM

What does 'studs showing' mean and do you think this 'rule' apllies in the tackle we ve seen in the original queston?

Image added if this helps
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f0319e3caa456994b42973ad82e7fedf4751525f5bc3bb2a5b9be52d87c0e08b.jpg

Thanks again

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Damien
Correct decision by the referee for me. He is well placed and no doubt he got a sense of the excess in the challenge. Marchisio IMO definitely endangered the safety of his opponent and he could have broken his leg. As the law states a tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
The player is nowhere near the ball and he makes contact without the opponent high up on the shin.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Damien.,
The fact that almost any tackle where you lead with a stiff leg and outstretched foot the potential to cause harm is certainly there. Particularly if it is done at speed as the physics ratio on mass and velocity is a real bone breaker. The angle of view by the referee in your 2014 WC example would likely be similar to the first slow motion angle The Referee WAS CLOSE to play and unblocked, he would see a high up the leg tackle with studs into the opponent. The mitigating factor was it was not necessarily at high speed and there was a interlocking angle of directions by the players. Now it does appear the Italian was more trying to block the leg than stomp but that might be more in the slow motion biases then real time actual impression. The facts are the CR felt is was what it was based on his view and his perception of the event .IT may well have been a non deliberate stomp but it does place studs into the leg and we do not judge intent we judge what we see occur and how it occurs. I have no issues with the CR awarding a direct red card but I do say it is of less a severity than many others.
IN the earlier video the initial reach in was not in my opinion a red card event. If you note in the 2nd interaction of the earlier video how the player slowed his roll as he was stepping on#5 to avoid perhaps a red card for a stomp. Finally that punch at the end of the video during the throw in though looked liked a VC red card act to me !
In conclusion each of us who referee face real time decisions that will affect the match and test our resolve. I use the mantra of YOUR match YOUR decision YOUR reputation to evoke a deliberate sense of accountability in our choices! In judging what is or is not worthy of a sending off never doubt the gut sensation of an event in real time. Post game review and rewinding video might change ones perspective but there is no time for 2nd guessing in a match, a referee with integrity sees what he sees! WE see a tackle that we see endangers the opponent and WE FAIL to send off then WE are failing our match responsibility to ensure the safety of the participants.
Cheers