Question Number: 32742

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/25/2018

RE: Select/Competitive College

Victor Blackburn of Beaufort, SC USA asks...

Another interesting topic that came up during a discussion and had mixed feelings among different referees.

'Pulling' is a continuous foul and is assessed at the most advantageous spot. Blue defender grabs a handful of White attacker's jersey just outside penalty area. White attacker is bigger and stronger and continues surging forward, into the penalty area. Referee lets play continue, and white enters the penalty area with blue defender still hanging onto his jersey, which is bloused like a sail in the wind. Blue defender lets go of white's jersey--all of white (except the grabbed portion of his jersey) is in the penalty area; if not for the jersey being bloused out behind him, ALL of white would have been in PA. But the actual 'pull' and hand have not yet entered the PA when blue finally lets go.

Do we have a PK, or simply a DFK just outside the penalty area?

For me, it seems pretty straight forward. (However, would be a VERY tough call and one where communication with my AR would be key) Even though the attackers body is completely inside of the PA, the "contact" with the player from pulling the jersey ends just outside of the PA. By letter of the law, this would technically be deemed a DFK. This is all assuming, of course, that even though his jersey was let go of, there was no advantage to be had.

Id like your thoughts please. Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Victor,
NO because the shirt is worn over the chest, it is in fact his CHEST that is being held. The shirt pull already has a USB caution as one of the more serious types of tactical fouls, do not worry about a DFK outside if it is CLEARLY affecting the attacker from scoring inside the PA! Pulling here is the SAME as HOLDING your arm across his chest! The fact that a shirt is stretchy should not go in the defenders favor! PKs are the correct restarts.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Victor
A very tough call to say that the foul was outside the penalty area. This reads to me that the pulling is inside the penalty area with the player held back while in the area.
I also think that at speed without technology this will look like a penalty all day long. Perhaps if an AR or CR had a freeze frame image to show that the pull was outside the area one could go with a DFK. Even at that it will look more a penalty than not.
I also think that while it not explicitly stated it is holding a player who is IN the penalty area so that will dictate a penalty kick and it makes no difference to the sanction as if it is a DOGSO as it will be a red card whether the foul happened inside or outside the penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Victor,
I think it would be splitting hairs to an over-exaggerated degree to make a distinction here between the part of the player's shirt that is outside the area, the part that is inside the area and the player themselves, in order to avoid giving a penalty in this situation.

Now, this exact scenario is not explicitly described in the Laws of the Game so I think the referee is entitled to use the provision that says:

''The Laws cannot deal with every possible situation, so where there is no direct provision in the Laws, The IFAB expects the referee to make a decision within the 'spirit' of the game - this often involves asking the question, ''what would football want/expect?''

For me, what football would want here and what the spirit of the game would call for, is a penalty.