Question Number: 31080

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 12/2/2016

RE: College

molly of radnor, usa asks...

I have been playing soccer my whole life and just completed my junior year at a D1 soccer program. I have had this discussion with my teammates and coaches and no one seems to have a definite answer to this question.

If I play the ball while I'm on the ground(not sliding in to play the ball but happen to either trip or what not) and there are other players around me and the ball. If while on the ground I play the ball is that automatically a feee kick for the other team or can the ref allow play to continue?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Really? You're really getting called for 'playing on the ground' in college? Or are you simply doubting what you might have heard?

It's one of the biggest myths of the game.

There's often a rule for very young ages that prohibits slide tackles, for their own safety. That usually goes away around U11 or U12. But the damage has been done. Players, coaches and spectators translate the ban on slide tackles to a ban on 'playing on the ground' and somehow the misinformation continues forward long after the players age out from leagues with a ban on slide tackling.

Now, what you cannot do is play in a dangerous manner (PIADM). If by going to the ground you make it likely that you would get kicked by an opponent, and the opponent has to back off to avoid injuring you, that is an indirect free kick offense. But it would still need to be determined if you created an unsafe condition for it to be an offense.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Molly,

I can give you a definite answer on this. No, this is not automatically a free kick and yes, the referee can allow play to continue. There is nothing explicit in the Laws of the Game that makes it an offence to play the ball while on the ground.

Now, having said that, there are a few linked issues that should be borne in mind and which ref Voshol has already covered in his response. Firstly, some rules of competition for younger ages do not allow slide tackles and secondly, depending on the exact situation, the referee could decide that playing the ball while on the ground might constitute playing in a dangerous manner (PIADM).

However, just to reiterate, this is not a mandatory free kick offence and the referee does not have to call it unless or until the criteria for PIADM are met.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Molly, sigh
This concept is a MYTH! Perhaps not necessarily one of epic biblical proportions but one that seemingly resists all efforts to eradicate it. Perhaps the myth has its basis in part because we do not permit the wee ones to engage as freely due to choice and decision making and skill and technique functionality. They get too excited and just react at times without thinking of the consequences.

There is NO LOTG that prohibit playing a ball while seated on your butt or when lying on the ground. PERIOD! Many a great play made or good goal has been scored from such a position. What is of concern is the safety of the participants, as in ANY challenge and if the actions to shield the ball while trying to get up or play said ball become obtuse or unfair to the opposition.
So no automatic free kick is awarded simply because you are off your feet. However, BECAUSE, the player on the ground, maybe on top of the ball or have the ball trapped beneath them they are preventing the opposition from having an easy time to play that ball without endangering the player by kicking away trying to free said ball. Given the ball IS within playing distance there is no reason for the player on the ground to allow the opponent easy access to the ball. It can be legally shielded, the opponent can not just kick away with impunity.

That said, the obligation for the player on the ground is to make a legitimate effort to get the ball into play by not remaining on top of a ball he may have fell upon or use his body to trap the ball as in squeeze legs locking a ball in-between to deny access or do a somersault to roll away from the challenging opponent. This type of action is generally unfair and could create a potential for injury in there is no way an opponent can successfully challenge without endangering the player performing this type of action. Of course for the opponent to have been disadvantaged requires him close enough to play the ball if it was free .

If say an opponent wanted to reach in with the sole of the foot to pull the ball away but refrains from doing so as our player on the ground chooses to stat there rather then get up, using arms or head to block or remaining on top of the ball. This is is creating what we refer to as PIADM. Playing in a dangerous manner. An INDFK infringement restart.

It requires the referee to grasp the opponent was unfairly prevented from successful play by the unsafe actions of the fallen player as PIADM applies to endangering ones own self or the opponent or denying the opponent the right to challenge who must CHOOSE not to involve themselves because to do otherwise risks injury to them or the opponent.

IF an opponent CHOSES to challenge for that ball on the ground and kicks the player on the ground that is a DFK against him, in favour of the defender on the ground.

Cheers And Merry Christmas

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Molly
There is no restriction on a player playing the ball on the ground. The restriction only applies if the player is lying on the ball or with the ball between the legs which then prevents an opponent from kicking the ball for fear of kicking the opponent. That is playing in a dangerous manner and an IDFK restart. Typically this happens when a player falls close to the ball and then trying to prevent the opponents from getting to the ball the player sort of curls around the ball or lies close to the ball in such a way so as to restrict the opponents. That gets called regularly and then what ðevelops is the myth that it is penalising playing the ball in tag round which it is not.