Question Number: 112

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct

RE: amatuer High School

John Roberts of Knoxville, Tennessee USA asks...

May the non-penal foul of "dangerous play" be called if a player commits the act against a teammate?

Answer provided by Referee miller

Law 12 is silent on this issue, but according to the USSF Advice to Referees Regarding the Laws of the Game, the answer would be NO. In order to be guilty of playing in a dangerous manner, a players behavior would have to disadvantage an opponent (i.e., cause him to flinch, or back away) and thus cost him his fair opportunity to contest for the ball..There are some organizations, such as the High School Federation, which specifically add that endangering a teammate is a foul punishable by an IFK, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Answer provided by Referee Stacy Kalstrom

The answer is NO. It is only a dangerous play if three criteria has been met: THE ACTION MUST BE DANGEROUS TO SOMEONE (INCLUDING THE PLAYER HIMSELF), IT WAS COMMITTED WITH AN OPPONENT CLOSE BY, AND THE DANGEROUS NATURE OF THE ACTION CAUSED THIS OPPONENT TO CEASE HIS ACTIVE PLAY FOR THE BALL OR TO BE OTHERWISE DISADVANTAGED BY HIS ATTEMPT NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN DANGEROUS PLAY...This information can be found in the USSF Advice To Referees On The Laws Of The Game 12.13..This is a great question because it is not addressed in the Law Book. Please pass it along. If you don't have this excellent reference book, I believe it can be downloaded from the USSF website or you can buy it from USSF.

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

5 October 2006. As Ref Miller states there are exceptions: NFHS High School Rule 12, Section 6: A player shall not participate in dangerous play, which is an act an official considers likely to cause injury to any player. This includes playing in such a manner which could cause injury to self or another player [opponent or teammate]

Because you specifically ask of High School and you ask from America I include this information. For the rest of the Football world Ref Kalstrom is correct.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I'd only add that Law 12 is not silent on this issue. Fouls, by FIFA definition, HAVE to be committed against opponents.

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

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