Question Number: 31280

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/20/2017

Zluvka of Liberec, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

This question is a follow up to question 31273

Context: Player stepped on the opponent's instep in challenge for the ball. Opponent did not fall. He stood. It seemed that the referee saw it. Player was upset. I cannot imagine legal contact with sole. Some examples, when is it legal, please.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Zluvka
There are plenty of examples of contact that are not given as fouls when there is contact between players. You say it seemed like the referee saw it. Only the referee can say what he saw.
In my game yesterday there was contact on a player by the goalkeeper inside the penalty area. The attacker chose to keep going and it ended in a corner. The player was berated by one of his team mate for not going down on the contact. Now I did see some limited contact yet not enough for a foul to be awarded. After the game I praised the player for his action of staying up on his feet and it proved to me that there was no foul.
I also recall a player going off injured a number of seasons ago. I could not see any foul contact yet the player was limping some time later. When treated I saw that he had a gash on the back of his ankle where the defender trod on him going for the ball. The evidence would prove that there was a foul of being trod on yet I did not see it as that during play. I thought he just landed awkwardly as he kept going after the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Zluvka,
if the sole of the foot is placed on top of an opponent or directed at him most often it will be a foul if it is SEEN as an excessive or reckless action or even a careless one. There CAN be accidental where in stepping onto a spot an opposing player has fallen or is in the way and is stepped on but it can not be avoided and there is no malice stomp or grind that takes advantage of the coming together. I recall the keeper coming in bravely for a ball and the striker stepped on his wrist as the arm pushed directly under the running step over. I saw a great save, paid with a price, but the attacker albeit he was thwarted had done nothing wrong! There was no way to avoid and there was no time to pull away. A referee must always be aware of the actions where the studs are used in any challenge but in the same way the arms are attached to the hands and body so too the feet and the legs take up some space and can only be manipulated in certain ways!
Cheers
Cheers