Question Number: 31731

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/24/2017

RE: Rec Adult

Damien of Ballina , New South Wales Australia asks...

Lifting the foot to step over the ball (using hip and shoulder)and across the opposition player who is attempting to retrieve the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Damien,
I'm not sure exactly what you mean but let me hazard a guess that you are meaning to ask whether such an action would be an offence?

It's a little difficult to judge without actually seeing this take place but for me, if the player has the ball within playing distance and steps over or around it to place the body between the ball and the opponent without making contact with the opponent, this would be acceptable as part of shielding the ball and most likely not be an offence.

If on the other hand, the action were carried out in such a way as to make contact with the opponent or physically knock into them in a careless or reckless manner or (although it seems less likely from your description) using excessive force, it would be an offence punishable by a free kick and potentially a caution or even sending off depending on the exact nature of the challenge.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Damien
Not sure what you describe here.
If the ball is out of play there cannot be a foul yet there can be misconduct for say delaying a player from retrieving the ball.
If it is during play and the players action is seen as a *dummy* where the player allows the ball to go past him then there is no foul as the player is entitled to his position on the field and the ball was within playing distance. However let us say that the ball is well gone and the player after stepping over the ball goes out of his way to step into the path of an opponent then it is a foul as the ball is not within playing distance. Some times we give the benefit to defender close to the goal line who allow the ball to go past them and then there is contact with the opponent. The ball might have already left the FOP or we see the contact as trifling