Question Number: 16010

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/12/2007

RE: State Referee Adult

Eric Freitag of Pleasant Hill, California USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 15983

Chuck,
If a ball were to strike a male player's hand while he was standing in a wall protecting his groin - would you call this handling?

For young ladies, wouldn't this be under the same premise and spirit of the law. I have been told by female soccer players that when they first begin to develop, their chest area can become extremely sensitive and painful and thus necessitate protection.

When dealing with young soccer players, I don't think treating this and other rule modifications are best served in absolutes (e.g. as "a right and wrong" issue) that you state. As referees we need to reconcile the laws of the game, the rules of competition/league and the developmental needs of the players and then exercise law 18 to the best of our ability.

Regards
Eric

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Hello Eric.

You have misunderstood what I wrote. I tried to say any player who chooses to play the ball with a hand or arm, at any age, is engaged in foul play. I didn't say any player who, because of a reflexive action, puts a hand or arm between the ball and possible pain is guilty of foul play.

I understand young women being struck in the breast by the ball are in extreme pain. I understand they will avoid this at all costs. However, they should not be allowed to make a conscious effort to bring their arms up, over their breasts, then choose to play the ball with their arms instead of using their chest, and any referee who allows this is not doing his or her job. The Law is clear, a player who deliberately handles the ball, except the goalkeeper within her own penalty area, is guilty of a direct free kick offence. Any coach teaching his or her players to play the ball in this manner is doing The Game a disservice.

If a player takes a protective position, BEFORE the ball is struck, and has the ball strike hands or arms WITHOUT any movement of the body or hands or arms has had the ball strike them, and that is not foul play. If the player moves to have the ball strike a specific place and that place is hands or arms then that is foul play.

If you are a State referee and you allow female players to, specifically, play the ball in the manner suggested you are taking liberties with the Laws of the Game beyond the scope of your duty to enforce them. If the assessors who granted you passing grades on your assessments told you this is proper refereeing then you have been given improper guidance. If instructors have told you this is something you are allowed to do they are incorrect.

Now to answer your question: if a player, male or female, makes a conscious effort to place a hand or arm between the ball and some sensitive part of the body AND then moves to have the ball hit that hand or arm I WILL pull them up every time. And so should you.

You mention law 18, ain't no such animal, though Advice to Referees has a chapter entitled "Law 18" - Common Sense. I offer the whole chapter for tour edification"

quote

"Law 18, still unwritten but frequently quoted as the ultimate goal of refereeing:

'Intelligence in the perception of the game, the attitude of the players, the place and the moment of the offense.'"

(Michel Vautrot, FIFA Referee Committee, FIFA Magazine, June 1997)

end quote

Notice it doesn't cut them some slack because they are developing girls?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Eric, I don't believe any of us have ever said a player may not protect themselves. At a wall, female players are allowed to cross their chests with their arms before the kick is taken but they are not allowed to use their arms to redirect the ball nor are they allowed to move their arms in any way. The problem with female players is they all too often think they can cross their chest with their arms any time they want and subsequently play the ball. Protecting oneself reflexively is always permitted, not by Law 18 but by Law 12.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Depending on the time the player had to react, most likely it should not be called if the player was protecting themself. If they had plenty of time to play the ball in another manner, then I might call it. For instance...if the ball is moving at a players head and he had time to step away or play the ball legally, then I might call him for handling deliberatly if he chooses to play ball with hands. Most of the time, the answer is no call though.

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

See Question: 16048