Question Number: 31988

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/4/2017

RE: Under 19

Steven of new york, ny USA asks...

Is it correct to give a player a caution for persistent infringement of fouls that do not involve contact (i.e. consistent dangerous play, consistent goalkeeper infractions, etc)

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Steven,
You could caution for repeated offences of playing in a dangerous manner although it's not an offence you tend to see all that often to start with so I'd be surprised if one player would get around to doing it often enough for this to be a consideration.

I'm not sure quite what goalkeeper infractions you are thinking of but I don't think most of those that are specifically 'goalkeeper only' offences lend themselves to deliberate, repeated offences in a way that would realistically lead to a caution. However, I guess anything is possible theoretically and if you saw a situation where you thought you were justified in doing so, that would be up to you as a referee to make the decision to caution.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

A player who is consistently playing in a dangerous manner will likely commit a foul or two sometime, simply due to the law of averages. So I could see where the pattern of dangerous play could enter into a decision for a caution for persistent infringement when the foul happens. Alternatively, since the potential for danger turned into danger when the foul was committed, the referee could consider a caution for unsporting behavior because it was reckless.

Goalkeeper infractions without contact would include taking more than 6 seconds to release the ball, touching the ball a second time after release, or handling a ball deliberately kicked or thrown by a teammate. These are rare enough calls as it is, so I wouldn't expect seeing a pattern of repetition very often in a ref's whole career.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Steven,
do not go looking for reasons to award cautions for no reason. These type of infractions are rather like being offside a lot, so you lose possession of the ball no chance to score but no one would think cautioning the player who is obtuse enough to do this to their own team. I would think the coach pulls this player LONG before we even recognize what the player is doing? The keeper awarding the opposition countless opportunities to score? Just seems improbable IF and it is a mighty BIG IF there was a long legged player who kept swinging for the fences with the foot winding up head high at every clearance with no regard who s out in front of him possibly such action could be deemed as repetitive PIADM but in my opinion it is more like a reckless challenge in intimidation or trying to kick an opponent. PIADM and impeding as well as goal keeper violations of handling are exceedingly rare in the modern game to think they could happen enough to warrant a caution seems highly unlikely
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steven
I would be slow to caution a player for Persistent Infringement on actions that do not result in physical contact such as PIADM, impeding with no contact. The laws allow for it yet if there is no physical contact I cannot see the need for a card or game control issues. Indeed the referee might get some strange looks to be cautioning a player who has not touched an opponent.
My advice is to deal with the reckless and the blatant breaches of the Laws. If a player is constantly physically fouling then by all means caution him.