Question Number: 15660

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/31/2007

RE: Challenge Under 13

Rich Dower of Charlotte, NC US asks...

In a very hard fought and physical U12 tournament game, two opposing players (red and white) went up for a header, the ball having been punted by red team's keeper. Both players were facing the keeper, with the red player closer to the keeper and the white player immediately behind. They both went straight up and there was no pushing involved. The white player got to the ball first and headed it forward (toward Red's goal). After (in my mind, well after) the ball was away, the red player (trying a flick-on) smashed the white player in the face with the back of his head, causing serious injury.

The ball was immediately kicked out of touch to stop play, but the referee indicated no foul. He ruled that "they were both going for the ball". In my mind, if you miss the ball and "take down" an opposing player, it is a foul whether you were going for the ball or not. The player's intent goes toward whether a card should be issued, not whether or not a foul was committed.

What is your take on this?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

A foul occurs if in the opinion of the referee a player carelessly, recklessly, or with excessive force trips, kicks, strikes, jumps at, charges, or pushes a player. If the referee felt the act was careless, reckless, or done with excessive force a foul should have been called. Bottom line is that the nature of the play needs to be considered and without looking at it and seeing it, it is hard to say.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I'm just guessing but I believe if you asked the referee he would say the injury occured during the play for the ball not well after as you speculate. As Ref Mueller states, in order for this to be a foul it has to be at least careless. Oftentimes players are injured with no foul being commited.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Rich,
If you watched the English Premier player John Terry get kicked in the head as he tried to head the ball and no foul was awarded it gives you an insight as to what can occur in the opinion of the referee "accidently" I do agree with you though that often one player has better position and gets to the ball first where the second player needs to abandon his attempt IF possible! Often headers are done with eyes closed which we could consider careless and extra body movement be it a head whip, backing in under, jumping over the back, elbows out or arm over shoulder all could be considered misconduct be it in a in careless reckess or excessive fashion. A reasonable challange even if risky where opportunity to play the ball is there for either player momentume is difficult to halt when there appears good chance you thought you would get there first! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Ouch!

This might be a foul or might not be a foul. I would have to see it myself. However, this was not a tackle and as such the foul of "tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact
with the opponent before touching the ball" is not in consideration here.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

It is entirely possible to have teeth, hair and eyes all over the field not as a result of foul play just the same as it's possible for the referee to stop play, for seemingly no reason, and send-off a player who has just told him to go [disgusting word beginning with the sixth letter of the alphabet] himself. You just have to be there to see or hear what happened before you have the full picture. There was a referee there and he saw nothing. So be it.

By the way, the football goes to touch or into touch. Touch is that area beyond the longer of the field boundaries. When it's "out of touch" it is on the field and usually in play, just a thought.

Regards,