Question Number: 7077

RE: rec Adult

Max of Cerritos, CA US asks...

The attacker gets by a defender, the defender catches up to thr right side of attacker (slightly behind) right away, reaches out and pokes the ball away with the right foot(along the path of attacker to an oncoming defender, not across). There is a slight contact of legs between the attacker and the defender who clears the ball. Is this considered a foul regardless of the attacker falling down?.Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This is one I would have to see Max, at the outset a referee must judge if there is contact with the opponent before contact with the ball, that's foul play. Next thing to determine would be if the defender tripped the opponent subsequent to an, otherwise fair, challenge. ..Just because this challenge came from slightly behind does not make it foul play, it's just a bit more difficult to make a clean tackle. ..Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Had to be there on this one. I will say this, simply because there is contact doesn't necessitate a foul unless contact was made with the attacker before the defender made contact with the ball. If the defender made a clean tackle, getting the ball first, and kept his feet down, it's not necessarily a foul even if the attacker trips and falls down. Remember, the foul of tripping,even if it occurs, must, in the opinion of the referee, be careless to warrant a foul.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Sebalja

This is likely to be a foul as misconduct of law 12 has occurred it does not matter if the ball was touched first if the follow through trips up the player then it is a foul

Answer provided by Referee Morley

I am not totally sure what happended from your description. I would have to see the incident to make my own mind up. Sometimes a players follow through with a tackle will mean that contact with an opponent is inevitable and will not necessarily mean a foul has been committed.