Question Number: 16207

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/4/2007

RE: competive Adult

Rafael of Pittsburgh, USA asks...

Hey there, I am the one Jeff was talking about when he described a collision we had on the field during a game.
It is kinda amusing to see how different the stories are depending on who is the story teller.

I can tell u my version of the story, which agrees with that of my teamates, but that's not enough to be right of course. I would appreaciate any further comments you could add to the dispute.

The situation was quite simple, I had the ball, was running towards the goal and had two other teamates to pass to ball to. I was running fast but not *full speed*, since I was actually hurt. What happened next was the following: I saw him coming towards me, and NOT standing still on his position. When I was close to the goal I looked to the side and passed the ball to a teamate right before I realised Jeff was still coming in my direction instead of trying to avoid the pass or any possible move I could have made, and the only thing I reacted to do was to extend my arms to protect myself from the collision. In fact when I saw him I jumped cus I thought he would slide or something, it was a very instinctive and fast reaction and by no means an attempt to tackle him down. My teamate stopped, he could have scored, there was no referee, and he was concerned about the result of such event. My teamate immediately judged the situation to be "obstruction" or "impeding", since he saw Jeff coming late, not able to stop nor preventing the play. Jeff was moving at the time of the collision, so to my teamate that was a clear foul. It is true, probably he would have scored and nothing would have happened in a real game, but our dispute was more on the actual rules and whether he fouled me, or vice versa. To me it is a clear foul, and I am kinda suprised by the responses I read, although it is true it is hard to judge without not being present during the event. From my perspective I see a defender coming towards me which cant stop his charge when I passed the ball and impeds me to proceed with the play.

Regardless of the actual situation, I have the following question then. What would a referee call if a player is having control of the ball and makes a move, or passes the ball, to avoid a defender and by doing so, by the inertia of the motion, collides with the defender which isnt just a stick in the field but moving towards the player or perhaps also moving such that to minimize the possibility of a pass but having all the time a eye contact with the opponent. Let's put aside, if possible, the fact taht the opponent will instinctively react by puting his hands up and jumping trying to avoid contact. I have played soccer for quite a while in my country, and even made it into the U15 national team before quiting to continue studying. In one ocasion the referee called penalty kick when a similar situation occured, there was a lose ball, I runned towards it, and the goalie was coming to it, trying to reach the ball and also to minimize the angle of the goal. I tipped the ball and dodged him, I was faster, but we crashed inside the box, he was late and couldnt avoid the collision.

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Jeff, we understand your point of view as well. Stuff happens and folks get bent in this Game. Sorry mate.

The only thing that can be said about this incident is "There are no friendlies in Football". Pick-up matches or those played without an arbiter present different challenges to the competitors because they must police themselves. In other places in the world a kick-about is fairly safe because there is an understanding about the Game that's not present in America. Here things get out of hand because all the rest of the sports played here are bump and crunch. It is always fine if someone cleans out the catcher with a smile instead of doing it with a frown, if you get my drift...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Jeff. Let me just clarify one thing. There was no "impeding" here regardless of who's correct. Since there was contact, if there was a foul it was either holding, pushing or charging by your opponent; charging, pushing or jumping at your opponent by you. Keep in mind that for any of these other than holding to be considered a foul, they had to be committed at least carelessly. The other possibility, of course, is that this was a 50:50 unavoidable collision and both of you were protecting yourselves and no foul was committed. Yes, the two stories are entirely different and any answer any of us give would have to be prefaced by none of us were there to actually see what happened. As to your question, this sounds like an unavoidable collision with no foul but I'd have to see it to be sure. Thanks for sharing your perspective with us

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

I agree it is amusing! Perception is a funny thing, as an opinion of what happens it is one side of the three sided view of the truth of us and they and what really happened.

Collisions in soccer are part of natural movement at the wrong time as much unfair movement designed to look innocent. We look for a play on the ball or a turn towards a realistic line of attack when considering whether the contact is part of the game or an unfair tactic which takes away opportunity.

I could spin left and the advancing runner dashing to his right after putting the ball past my right (his left) and he runs up my backside. We can not judge intent as we are not mind readers, yet we are often told we should only punish deliberate breeches of the law.

If an incident has an accidental quality about it or we have doubts we can choose to ignore it. If it has elements of a foul but at an acceptable low level we are inclined at times to see it as trivial if that standard can be applied by the referee and accepted by both teams.

Impeding is a NO or very minor contact foul, where you seek to avoid a player who has played unfairly. You in fact try to go around not through him to follow the ball !

As my colleagues alluded too we need to see it to have a complete picture. Still one player is in control of the ball and the other endeavoring to take it away. Now we must decide if the takeaway is legal or the loss of the ball was not a result of unfair intervention.

I will lean your way a bit and say that attacker with ball possession has more right away at his disposal than a moving defender to intercept if indeed the ball remains controlled.
Cheers

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

See Question: 16325