Question Number: 31597

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/11/2017

RE: Competitive Under 19

Dave Bermingham of Herndon, Virginia United States asks...

In judging whether contact between 1-on-1 opponents racing toward the goal is fair or foul, it seems to me that in a fair shoulder challenge the opponent would always have a lateral/sideways component to any stumble/fall.
Has the panel ever seen a fair challenge where the opponent pitches forward? It would seem to me that a forward-only fall would be a very strong, if not absolutely conclusive, indication of a challenge to the back or a clipped foot. what other elements might help differentiate foul challenges from fair ones or incidental contact?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dave
A referee needs to put all the elements of the challenge together to make a determination. Direction of fall could be an indicator yet not always. The momentum of the player could be forward just at the moment of the fair shoulder which may move the player slightly laterally yet the main momentum could be forward. A player could also lose his footing which could cause him to fall forward again with the shoulder contact having little impact on the player. The level of contact could also be minimal and certainly not enough for a foul.
If a referees looks at player positions on a legal charge there should not be an excessive distance between the players meaning that a player just cannot run 10 yards to slam into the side of an opponents shoulder. The opponent may be moved laterally yet it is an illegal charge as it is certainly careless and likely to be reckless as well even if it is shoulder to shoulder.
I also believe that size has to be a factor along with the force used. I always describe a fair charge as easing a player off the ball. Once it gets to say a heavy barge with excessive contact it is illegal no matter what part of the body is contacted. Okay at open age and higher levels of the game player expect to be challenged more physically and the referee will and should allow that while at the same time ensuring that such physicality does not go beyond what is acceptable at that level. That is a judgement call based on that game.
Another factor that has crept into the modern game at all levels is simulation. Some players now go to ground on the slightest contact and referees have to be mindful of that. I had a situation recently where a player knew that he was likely to be charged inside the penalty area and as soon as he felt the charge of a player stood close to him he went face down looking for a penalty. I did not give it as the contact was minimal and the player just used the contact to look for the penalty.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Dave,

the fact is players are generally running forward thus the bulk of the mass, is directed forward momentum rather than sideways momentum . In point of fact to displace the forward mass into a sideways motion is indicative of an excessive force on an intersection trajectory. As we often point out a fair charge is more an easing off the ball not a brute force ram!

The arm shove is often the easiest to spot but often when players are tight, one or the other has hold of the other's jersey so a shove is often a motion to break that grip

You can catch the inside leg lifted which was an old lacrosse trick I honed for soccer. I could send larger opponents off on a tumble with a precise shoulder bump if I timed my shoulder lean just right In lacrosse we got to use a stick to do it lol

Simulation is a very disagreeable reality and while I have some sympathy of selling a foul as a player coach I despise it from a referee standpoint especially when the player goes looking for it as opposed to pointing it out that it did happen.

In youth size and intimidation have a lot to do with how referees interpret a fair charge . I see some large players get unfairly treated as smaller players just bounce off them which is hardly their fault. I look for how the contact occurs, where the eye's are and if there is disregard for consequences.

To be blunt it is very difficult to fairly charge a much bigger or a much smaller player without holding them or jumping up at them.

Cheers