Question Number: 16087

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/23/2007

RE: Competive Under 13

Shane of Taree, NSW Australia asks...

When an attacking player has the ball and uses his arms to widen himself which allows the attacking player to use his arms to feel where the opposing player is coming at him from. This effectively done keeps the opposing player away from the ball and allows the attacker to turn and run to either his left or right. Is this allowed, my childs coach says no and an old coach who i work with says yes it is allowed?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Touching is allowed; pushing is not. The referee - not the attacker, not the defender, not the coaches, not the spectators - makes a determination of when touching changes into pushing.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Mr. Voshol is correct. Also, consider holding if an outstretched arm prevents a player from playing the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

An astute referee will look at what the result of the action happens to be. The jersey or trousers just felt is fine, the player knows where his opponent is and can adjust accordingly. The jersey or trousers grabbed onto or dented to the point of moving the opponent away is holding or pushing, and that's foul play.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Shane,
to estimate, distance, touch and feel the hands and arms are fine but when the fists close upon the jersey, the straight arm the arm drapes over the shoulder, the palm forward into the back or the elbow in the face are all foul. Now at times both player and opponent will engage is simultanous fouls of clutch or grab and a referee might warn them to desist, however as both accept it, it could become a doubtful or trivial possibility.
I prefer to verbally say to the miscreants, arms down! quit holding hands! I am right here I see too much free arm in this but if the act is foul and the reaction is not trivial by the opponent then in truth it is not doubtful ! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

I think what you may be hearing in this difference of opinion between the two coaches is the amount of contact that is allowed at the different levels of competition. As the players become more skilled and advanced in their techniques and tactics the level of contact that is tolerated is, very often, increased as well. At the college and professional levels of play the use of arms in this manner as well as the defenders grabbing onto the outstretched arm become a style of play that the players almost expect and unless there is a blatant grab or push then the players expect this to be allowed - within reason. The dynamic to which you are referring is the "containing" of the defender within the arm as the turn is made thereby allowing the striker to "slide past" the defender in what can be a pretty elegant maneuver but a good defender will know how to counter this move. The degree to which the arm becomes involved in this move and the impact it has on the defender (i.e. pushing him away) will ultimately determine if a call regarding pushing or holding will be made. And, just like players differ in their skill levels and ability to deal with tactics such as this, referees differ in skill levels as well in their ability to read and understand the dynamic of what is transpiring in front of them. At the U-13 level I would not tolerate much of this type of play but other referees might so it becomes incumbent upon your players to adjust to the level of contact that is being allowed and play accordingly. All the best,