Question Number: 33287

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/29/2019

RE: Select Under 16

Lane of Pensacola , Florida USA asks...

...If a person puts his fist up and starts walking towards you and wants you to fight him....could he get a red card??

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Generally acting in an aggressive manner towards an opponents is not a red card offence. It is certainly a caution. Having said that the referee has wide discretion to consider such very aggressive action involving raised fists close to a player as an attempt to strike which has the same outcome as an actual strike which is a red card
We have all seen attempts to use excessive force as red card offences. I have sent off players for attempted head butts, swings of arms that did not make contact Many times the assailant provokes a negative reaction in the opponents which results in retaliation or even very aggressive defensive actions which are also red card offences.
Referees should do their best to head off any such behaviour and to prevent it escalating into more serious behaviour such as violent conduct. I would do my best to get to any player that is confronting an opponent with raised fist, mindful of course not to get involved in the misconduct.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Lane,
They could potentially get a red card but I would say that in general, a player who only approaches an opponent in an aggressive manner but does not actually do anything too overt in terms of physicality, would only receive a caution. In fact in England, there is a caution code 'AAA' used on the FA's Whole Game reporting system for referees that stands for 'adopting an aggressive attitude.'

Having said that, if the player was being especially aggressive and particularly if they got into close enough proximity to an opponent while still brandishing their fists, the referee might possibly see that as an attempt to strike, in which case they could choose to issue a red card.

Overall, I'd say it's probably still only going to be a yellow in most instances like this, though.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Lane>,
short tempers short fuses plain meanness and sometimes what occurs without being dealt with or occurs unseen in behind play. The AAA adopting aggressive attitudes usually has a basis in something irritating, be it, a tooth ache, an off day, a bad tackle, unkind words or just general belligerency and competitive intimidation . One can view it as USB rather than VC until the actual fisticuffs begin. Hopefully head it off before a player is hurt or a team forced to play a man down. But there are consequences for unreasonable actions no matter what reasons those engaged may claim to have! If these aggressive actions are solely directed towards a referee chances are the red card possibility just went way up. This might appear unfair if say a referee was viewing opposing team players threatening to mixing it up but a personal attack is going to hit home very hard! Bad idea! Back away please ! There is no need to add OR else!
Cheers