Question Number: 33841

High School 1/17/2020

RE: Rec High School

Jeff Kwak of Plantation, FL USA asks...

A player deliberately, and without question, jumps and knocks the ball down with his hand, preventing a long pass on a break-away opportunity stopping the advantage and the attack mid-field.

What should the call be, and what law describes the outcome?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jeff
Both FIFA and NFHS are at one on this.
The sanction is a direct free kick and a caution / yellow card.
In the circumstances where the action denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity it is a red card

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jeff,
High school has RULES not laws. Those responsible for drafting these rules are very fierce in their defense of and inclusion of differences between school ie as an outside class room versus professional or adult outcomes. Here though the similarities in rules from high school and their counterpart LOTG from FIFA reflect the same outcome, a DFK or PK restart based on the location of the deliberate handling. The defender would be shown the yellow card and cautioned for the USB action of breaking up the attack. A SLIGHT potential for a red card send off if the action denied a goal scoring opportunity. My colleague quotes the appropriate rules .
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Jeff,
The call should be a direct free kick to the opposition for the deliberate handling and a caution to the guilty player for deliberately stopping an attack.

Both sanctions are found within NFHS Rule 12. The free kick is as per Rule 12 Section 2 - Handling, as follows:

''A player shall be penalized for deliberately handling, carrying, striking or propelling the ball with a hand or arm.
EXCEPTION: Goalkeeper when the ball is within his/her own penalty area. (12-7-1)
PENALTY: Direct free kick.''

The caution is according to Rule 12 Section 8 - Misconduct, Art. 1.f.6 which states:

''A player, coach or bench personnel shall be cautioned (yellow card) for: [...] deliberate handball to stop an attack.''

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 33845