Question Number: 33375

High School 5/22/2019

RE: Varsity High School

Derek of Cary, IL USA asks...

While the keeper is in possession of the ball, an opponent violently/with excessive force charges the keeper. The opponent was disqualified.

Would this be considered VC or SFP? I put in my report that it was VC because the opponent could not legally play or challenge for the ball, therefore no foul occurred.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Derek
There was an offence here of an illegal charge with the ball in play so it has a direct free kick restart.
If the opponent simply went to charge the GK with no intent other than to use excessive force or brutality it is violent conduct. If the circumstances were that the player tried to charge the ball away say as part of a challenge then that could be seen as serious foul play.
Context here is everything. What was happening and why did it happen.
I recall a game where the opposite happened and the GK with the ball went out of his way to charge an attacker. I went with a caution and a penalty kick. I did not see violent conduct in the action just a reckless illegal charge.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Derek,
Another referee's judgement call. One way to look at it is that even though the player should not have challenged the keeper in this way, the fact is that they did challenge and that the ball was involved in play. So this could still be considered as serious foul play. On the other hand, if the referee judges that the player was only interested in using excessive force and had no thoughts of the ball, it could be seen as violent conduct.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Derek
to be a SFP there must be a legitimate effort to challenge to win the ball in a normal manner during ongoing live play . It can be a tad late but if foolishly timed be it shoulder to shoulder, a foot tackle, a slide tackle that causes a trip or kick or push we can see if the attempt is careless reckless or excessive but as long as we are certain it WAS an effort to WIN the ball, we will list the foul as SFP not VC.

IF the keeper already has CLEAR ball possession ie was standing holding the ball and in comes a slide tackle wiping him out that is VC not SFP as it was done only to injure! Then it is VC because the ball can not be legitimately challenged
Cheers