Question Number: 32751

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/27/2018

RE: Adult

Chuck of Phoenix, Arizona USA asks...

A player with the ball is running at full speed down the field. A defender from the other team steps up to stop them. The defender actually stops with 2 feet planted while the offensive player is making a pass. A split second after the ball is passed, the offensive players momentum carries him into the defender, who is basically standing flat footed, and takes him out. Does this sound like a foul against the offensive player?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Chuck
This reads that it is a foul against the defender. It would only be a foul against the attacker if he deliberately charged the opponent making no effort to avoid him.
The reason it is a foul against the defender is that he has come across to challenge the opponent and placed himself in the path of the attacker. He did not need to plant himself in that position yet he chose that location so he has to accept the consequences which is a holding foul.
There can be times when the attacker has gone out of his way to draw the foul by deliberately running into the defender say inside the penalty area to win a foul.
there can also be times when it is simply a coming together with no foul by either player.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Chuck,
while I tentatively agree with my colleague I would need to see it to be sure but you can not set a basketball pick in soccer. We look at that as a DFK holding foul or if there is no contact and no ball in playing distance as an INDFK impeding foul, It sounds as if the movement is designed to cause contact. That said, players running with their head down or running backwards are also held accountable. Then there is the no fault collision which also happens occasionally.
Cheers