Question Number: 16098

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/24/2007

RE: rec, Under 15

Jim Brubacher of Heidelberg, Ontario Canada asks...

is calling mine a foul and where do I find this in the laws of the game?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Mine is NOT a foul!
USB behavior where ANY sound or action which is used expressly to disadvantage an opponent is unsporting and thus cautionable show a yellow card with an INDFK restart.
It is a myth that the word mine or any word like it (I got it, leave it Keeper etc..) is in its self wrong.
If I run behind or into a crowd of opposing players and scream Arrrrgh! or cup my hands and scream my own name(RICHARD"S BALL!) into the ear of an opponent it is WHAT I did, not what I said that the referee will act on! Generally we can say what we wish it is a communication and every coach should encourage good communication and every referee needs to understand there is no FOUL only in very REMOTE cases occasional USB in such outbursts
Law 12 states for any other act not included in the laws do we caution and restart with an INDFK !
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

In addition to what Ref Dawson says, if you attempt to deceive your opponent by what you say it is USB. Where "Mine" gets the bad rap that created the myth is because you could come up behind an opponent and say "Mine", hoping he'd leave the ball for you. You could also be unsporting saying "Jim's ball" if the opposing team also has a Jim on it.

Say it to a teammate, it's communication. Say it to an opponent, it's USB.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

No...at most it can be misconduct if the referee deems it unsporting. It is not a foul listed in law 12.