Question Number: 32519

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/18/2018

RE: Rec and select High School

mary ramirez-de-arellano of damascus, maryland USA asks...

A 14 year old boy went down on the ground (seated) with the ball between his legs. He stayed down and kept the ball between his legs protectively. Opponents around him were tried to get to the ball but did not kick the player. This went on for about 5 seconds. The boy with the ball eventually stood up and played the ball. The center referee called nothing. The coach of the opponent team was incensed that a call wasn't made. I suspected a call such as obstruction should have been called and the opponent awarded an IFK. What do you say?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

To me, this is playing the ball on the ground and is adversely affecting an opponent. I would call a dangerous play and award and indirect free kick to the other team. The key thing here is that the player play the ball on the ground and it affected an opponent.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mary
As described this could be viewed as playing in a dangerous manner which has an indirect free kick restart. The player by his actions has risked getting kicked which is a danger to himself and perhaps prevented opponents from playing the ball.
Now there is also a myth in the game that the ball cannot be played on the ground by a player lying on the ground. That is incorrect. There can be times when the position of the opponents mean that their is no risk of injury or that players were preventing from playing the ball due to their position.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Mary,
From your description, I think we have the offence of playing in a dangerous manner (PIADM). The law defines this as:

''any action that, while trying to play the ball, threatens injury to someone (including the player themself) and includes preventing a nearby opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury.''

There is nothing wrong with playing the ball from the ground, so long as in doing so, the player does not prevent an opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury.

However, based on the way you describe it, it sounds as if the opponents held off on challenging for the ball which would make it a PIADM offence which should result in the award of an indirect free kick.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The fact he was on the ground is NOT the foul! It was the fact once there he remained and played the ball in such a way as to cause danger to himself and thus prevented the opposition within playing distance from fairly challenging is in fact a PIADM (playing in a dangerous manner) INDFK infringement.
The old obstruction is now called impeding but involves no contact to be an INDFK. If there was contact it upgrades to a DFK PK foul.

Once a player is down with the ball trapped the referee should give a moment to see if he is attempting to get back up. I should point out the ball is within HIS playing distance and he does have a right to shield it legally. He does not have to get out of the way of the opposition as he rises up he simply can not do goofy stuff like put his head or hands over the ball to ward off their kicks or try to somersault with the ball pinned between the legs or swivel about on his butt doing the same! To remain on the ground , pinning the ball for a long time is not only a plausible INDFK for the PIADM it could even be a caution for USB .

Cheers