Question Number: 31694

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/9/2017

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 31690

'Playing in a dangerous manner is any action that, while trying to play the
ball, threatens injury to someone (including the player themself)'

I've never called it, but if defender A is bending over to head a low bouncing ball, just as defender B comes in cleats up to clear the ball (and no attackers are near): are we to call either or both of them for dangerous play? Their actions do threaten an injury to defender A, especially.

Or do we just play on and 'have a word' after?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Barry,
it is interesting since they slightly altered the wording PIADM & specifically addressed contact as DFK upgrade it has been subject to this intense scrutiny where some think no opponent is necessary as in USA high school rules it need only be dangerous to anyone, themselves, teammate etc... I am as of yet unaware if this is true in the FIFA LOTG?

Technically the idea of two opposing players simultaneously creating PIADM conditions you could offer a drop ball and be supported in LOTG! In such cases where a player goes in on a diving header on a low ball where a defender is trying to clear the line you would arrive at a decision to who initiated what and when.

If you stopped for injury a drop ball if only teammates but to award an INDFK to the opposition for unsafe action by the teammates seems blatantly unfair to offer a scoring opportunity from a misjudged clearance as opposed to if they were fighting. I would be inclined to have a word to be careful, communicate!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Barry,
Since the slight change in the wording regarding PIADM, so that preventing an opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury is apparently no longer required, just included, it could seem that it might open up the possibility of penalising a player for PIADM when the only person adversely affected is a team mate.

However it is not specifically stated that way and I do not get the impression from any of the FAQ's, explanations of Law changes etc, that this is what the IFAB intends. I have to say I would be very surprised to see a player penalised in such a scenario. I think it would be more likely as you say, for a referee to allow play to continue (assuming there is no contact and no-one is injured). You could maybe have a quiet word to be more careful but I'm not sure even that would be necessary unless the player was doing something excessively dangerous.

The law does now allow for a direct free kick (or penalty) when a player commits a physical offence against a team mate but the only example mentioned in the FAQ's is where a player strikes a team mate so I still don't see anything to really suggest to me that a player should be penalised for PIADM involving a team mate.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
Fouls can only be committed against opponents. Now we know that the Law has been amended to penalise offence committed against team mates, referees, others with a direct free kick. What is intended there is violent conduct and all f IFABs communications have been in that regard.
So PIADM has not changed to include dangerous play against a team mate. So in your example it is play on as usual.
Think about it. How many times have we seen team mates clash into each other going for the same ball. Do we ever award a free kick for that?
Player do not expect PIADM to be called on the same team and it will cause uproar should that happen. Imagine a defender doing a bicycle kick and a team mate goes to head the same ball and an IDFK is awarded to the opponents? That is not a foul and should not be penalised.