Question Number: 31468

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/20/2017

RE: Competitive Under 13

Aaron Speca of Virginia Beach, VA United States asks...

I see this type of play a lot. Dark Blue is attacker, lighter blue is defender. Defender takes an angle and gets to the ball first. Looks like attacker makes no attempt to play the ball and runs through the defender as the defender kicks the ball out of bounds. Restart on this play was ruled a corner kick. Foul or no foul?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3NNkeZINLM

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Aaron
If I was the referee this would be a foul against the attacker for illegal charging. She makes no attempt to play the ball nor is she trying to move an opponent away from the ball.
The object of a legal charge is to move the opponent away from the ball using the upper body or as I describe it easing an opponent off the ball.
In these instances the stronger player is legally allowed to use her body and strength to displace the opponent away from the ball so that the ball can be played. There is certainly no requirement within the LOTG to *play the ball *under such circumstances although if the ball is already gone then it is not legal to charge as the ball has to be within playing distance.
Okay one can argue that the defender was playing the ball out anyway and the contact made no difference to the play yet the defender can take exception to this type of charge. The player seems to have taken a heavy contact either in the charge or when she hits the ground. I would certainly be having a word with the attacker about the contact after awarding the free kick if not something more stronger depending on the mood and tempo of the game.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Aaron,
looks more like a DFK out than a corner kick. The free arm of the attacker was placed under the arm of the defender and there was no easing off the ball just a straight smash into his side. Some might think it was shoulder to shoulder but I like to call those people wrong!
Cheers