Question Number: 32074

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 12/4/2017

RE: Under 12

Peter Atherton of London, UK asks...

Hi- a player was through on goal well inside the penalty area. He got his shot off marginally before a defender slide from his side and wiped him out. Clear foul. His shot went wide and probably crossed the line at same moment the foul was made. If that a penalty?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
The technical decision rests on whether the ball was in play or out of play at the moment of the foul. A foul can only be committed while the ball is in play.
At speed this can be a difficult decision and I would believe that most referees would go with a penalty kick for a late foul and a card for a reckless challenge.
Now there can be times when there is a coming together after the ball has gone and the focus is on the shot rather than the coming together. There is a long way though between wiping a player out and a coming together after a shot on goal.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Peter,
His Match His Decision His Reputation. A referee allow what players tolerate and what he can accept to a certain threshold.
There is some measure of taking one for the team in a missed shot opportunity with a bit of after contact. It is almost as if the player accepts a bit of pain because he missed and ignores it if he scores as befitting punishment.
If the ball is IN play the attempt alone can be the foul ahead of any contact that confirms it but if the ball is out of play VC is still within the scope of the referee to show a yellow or a red card depending on the severity of the incident Reckless tackles should be sanctioned with a caution shown a yellow card and wipeouts that are excessive a red card send off solves that dilemma.
In cases where DOGSO or reckless tackles I think a quick whistle to head off retaliation an if the PK is there do not be terrified to take it on!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Peter,
It depends whether the ball was still in play when the contact occurred, or not. If the referee judges that it was, as you describe, a 'clear foul' and the ball was still in play then the referee should award the penalty. If the ball was out of play it cannot be a foul but could potentially still be misconduct.

I have to say it is fairly noticeable when watching televised matches that challenges that would probably be given as a foul if they occurred in other circumstances seem to be quite often ignored if they occur as or just after a player has taken a shot. Technically that is not correct but it seems to happen nonetheless, probably for the reasons Ref Dawson mentions.

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

See Question: 32082