Question Number: 16438

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/26/2007

RE: AYSO Under 15

Blane Sanchez of Isleta, NM US asks...

After winning the ball from the second defender and moving to attack the goal, the defender pushes the offensive player from behind with both hands causing the player to stumble and fall with the defensive player becoming entangled and landing on top. The foul occurred just outside the penalty area. A yellow card was given with a direct kick. Should the defensive player been given a red card instead for "serious foul play" and preventing a goal scoring opportunity?" Does shoving a player from behind with or without the ball in any circumstance warrant a red card?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The referee needs to determine the "D"istance to the goal, the "D"istance from the attacker to the ball, the "D"irection the attacker is travelling and the number of "D"efenders between the attacker and the goal before considering a sending-off. These 4D's are the measure of a goal scoring opportunity.

There is no offence "shoving a player from behind" the referee evaluate whether the push is careless, foul play; reckless, foul play and a caution; or excessively forceful, foul play and a sending-off. In the case you ask about the referee determined the foul play, pushes an opponent, was reckless OR was a tactical thing to disrupt the attackers movement. Either way the match report should indicate unsporting behaviour as the cautionable offence committed.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

First of all, you can only give a player one red card - we can only kill him once. So, you must choose whether it is for serious foul play or for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity. They are not the same misconduct, and they have different criteria to meet. As Referee Fleischer outlined, the 4 D's must be met for it to be denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity. For it to be serious foul play, there needs to be a degree of violence to the action, and it must be between two opponents contesting for a ball during play on the field.