Question Number: 31818

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/24/2017

RE: Rec Under 14

Doug Crawford of Oakland, CA US asks...

This question is a follow up to question 31811

I guess I should keep an open mind. I didn't like the description of the push, but it did not sound like any aggression. You are right that we cannot cover every eventuality. Thanks much for your views.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Doug we appreciate you trust us to think about it! It is always good to keep options on the table. Direct action while at times necessary often puts you in a no win situation without any real reason to be there!!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Doug,
Thanks for the response. I didn't get the chance to answer your previous question but let me also point out that since VC against a match official is an extremely serious offence and can carry severe penalties (in extreme cases it might even involve a life ban) you would want to be extremely cautious in reporting what might well have been (to use a common phrase more usually reserved for players colliding) a mere 'coming together.'

Not that what goes on at the top level is necessarily a sure guide as to how things should be handled but I can think of a number of incidents in televised games where a player has bundled into an AR, sometimes even knocking them over with a fair amount of force but I have never seen an instance where the player was penalised for this.

Here is just one example of such an incident - no action was taken against the player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92nfiMOgmpY