Question Number: 32059

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/27/2017

RE: Pro Adult

hussian of kuwait, kuwait kuwait asks...

If a players only acts the he will touch the ball with his hands then leaves it,keeping in mind that he fooled the guys behind him to leave the ball
is it considered an offence ?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Hussian
Attempting to handle the ball and then not handling it can be seen as feinting which is not a foul. It might not be a very wise move as it can look like handling particularly if the hands are close to the ball or for that matter the ball does hit the raised hand / arm. I also struggle to envisage a situation where it benefits the player.
Have a look at this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi3wW9qQMdw
Not sure what the player was trying to do. Showing he was not pushing, putting off players behind him? It resulted in a penalty kick.
The closest I have seen to this is at a free kick where a player reaches down to what looks like repositioning the ball with the hands for the free kick but at the last moment does not do so but instead kicks the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Hussain,
In the situation you describe, there is no offence. It can only be a handling offence if there is a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball using their hand or arm. If there is no contact, the definition has not been met so there can be no offence. It is also not an offence to deceive an opponent unless it is by verbal means.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Hussain ,
I have seen a few PKs taken by the PK kicker who bends down as if to reposition the ball but toe pokes it ever so gently for another to run on to.
In the same motion but rather than a soft poke or nudge a direct shot at the goal trying to catch the keeper unaware.
The most recent one was the player walked up to the ball pretended to reach down then turned around took one step spun around and took the kick The referee allowed the goal. I was thinking, hmm? .
I agree, with my friend Ref McHugh I too have difficulty imagining in active play why a player might choose to do this and if any purpose or benefit could result? It might be considered as PIADM if he reaches the hands down and the ball was going to be kicked by an opponent but his actions were considered as unsafe thus the opponent held up? Of course in trying to be tricky he might accidently succeed in fooling the referee it was touched and thus a DFK restart. or worse!
As my colleague Ref Grove points out it is not an offence to play possum or dummy the ball.
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 32063