Question Number: 16439

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/26/2007

RE: AYSO Under 14

Blane Sanchez of Isleta, NM US asks...

In the penalty area, a player on the left side attempts to pass the ball to a team mate in the middle just outside goal area. A nearby defender jumps in front of the offensive player extending both arms in what appears to be an attempt to play the ball with his hands. The ball is not touched and still gets to the offensive player. The ref blows the whistle for the defensive player's action. What should be the call?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Dropped ball for an inadvertent whistle. Why on earth did the referee think it necessary to blow? What ever happened to wait and see? The referee needs a little time with an assessor.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Blane, your copy of the Laws of the Game lists only three times under Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct) when attempting to do something (kick, trip or strike) is an offense punishable by a direct free kick. The rest of the time, the referee must wait for the result of an action. In other words, the hand must actually touch the ball deliberately, or there is no handling offense. If it looks like a player is going to push someone else, you can't blow the whistle until he does push. If, in the situation you outlined, the referee actually blows his whistle, he'll need to eat it. He must tell the teams he blew the whistle in error, and that the restart will be a dropped ball. And maybe next time, he'll be more careful to observe the consequence of an action before raising the whistle to his lips.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

What was the whistle for? Attempting to deliberately handle the ball? No such foul. Restart with dropped ball

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Yeah this is a drop ball for stupidity on the referee. Unless the referee felt that the behavior was unsporting in which case he would caution the guilty player and restart with an IFK at the spot of the misconduct.