Question Number: 33873

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/7/2020

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 33872

I have a real issue with Ref Groves reply.

He seems to have taken Ref Dawson's signature line - 'His match, his decision, his reputation' !!!

All jokes aside, I only watched up until the incident - and before reading the panels replies - and wondered which way the call went. My gut said no foul - based at least from the angle of view the coverage gave.

Reading the panel replies and the standout comment for me was that from Ref Wright (in reference to the defender in this instance)...'has no opportunity to react therefore cannot be accused of acting carelessly.'

I have often thought that in so many 'comings together' and seem to have never been able to satisfactory explain - to those asking for a foul - why I had not awarded a foul. So thank you, this will help.

That said, it is certainly note a 'get out jail free' moment either - if you deny a goal scoring opportunity even if un-intentoinally...you have still denied the opportunity.

(BTW, seemed like a rough call on the offside in an earlier play down the other end. Based on the offside line graphic, had to see what legal goal scoring part of the attackers body was offside).

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Russell,
Thanks for the observations. I suppose, that when push comes to shove (pun intended) I would also lean slightly towards a no foul decision on the incident in question but as I implied, it would also not be beyond the bounds of possibility for it to have gone the other way.

I concur with ref McHugh's view of the offside call.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
All the panel were of the view that it was *tricky* and not straightforward.
Based on that a referee could decide that there was a foul in there by either player and either give a penalty or a free out.
The referee on the day decided not to give a penalty and so be it. Another referee on another day could have decided that the defender was in fact guilty of a careless charge or the attacker for the same offence
We also know that decisions get influenced by other events. In the game there were a number of players that went to ground easily, possibly looking for penalties on upper body contact. When a few of those have been waved away a referee will probably raise the bar in respect of other possible upper body fouls.
In respect of the offside decision with the naked eye in real time this was likely to get called. With VAR it would not be called in which case ARs have been advised to hold off on the flag until after the goal scoring opportunity has happened and then to make a call based on VAR.
The defenders leg was in my opinion playing the attacker on side as the attackers arm is not taken into account on offside.