Question Number: 16955

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/28/2007

RE: Competitive Adult

jonah of Calgary, Alberta Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16913

In a follow-up to Chuck's response regarding the attacking player catching up with the defender...

At the point of the two-hand shove in the back, the ball was at the feet of my defender (in playing distance), who was slowing to the ball to play it.

She has already won the footrace and the attacker comes from two or three yards behind, yet still called for obstruction.

Nothing to Hmmm about here, you havn't caught me in a big lie.

Thank you all for your responses. The common thread on this website is that whatever the official says is the law for the day, is the law for the day. Seems a bit wishy-washy to me. If only there was some kind of standard or document that all officials had to follow to the letter, with an evaluation process...

oh, wait. There is.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jonah,
Remember when dealing with hypothetical situations words will not always paint a clear picture of what you see. I surmise you think the match officials opinion should not be a match condition that you as a coach must tactically come to grips with?

Experience, courage and wisdom to discern fair from foul is as broad a curve on officiating scales as the skill level of the players and abilities of the coaches to play the game. My solution forget the finger of blame FIX the problem! If you referee , coach and play it is amazing the perspective change that occurs even KNOWING a bit about the other guys shoes!

I inferred from Ref Fleisher?s quip that your player if faster was possibly slowing down to stop the opponent as opposed for getting the ball under control, it was not an unreasonable assumption. As I indicated running after a ball is not an infringement. Nor is shielding it from an opponent depending on how it is done. A player spreading the arms and backing up does qualify as not being allowed.

The referee MUST of seen something to award the free kicks against you. If he was incorrect in understanding the dynamics by which process of teleportation can we go back in time to judge what he saw and ask why he chose the decision he did?

You might reflect on the standard a coach must follow as well. Reasonable behavior within the technical area, dispensing tactical advice. It is entirely within your power to write a report and outline the disparities and concerns then submit them to the league for follow up assessments. Believe it or not we do not discount coaches, parents or players opinions when they disagree with a referee.

Opinions are perception, loosely based on what passes as known information. The truth is often portions and parts rather than its entirety. Yes all referees require an understanding of the laws and good foul recognition is something that is a learned process but also subject to angle of view at any given incident. In other words the best of us are in the wrong place and fail to see what we are required to see.

Ongoing consistency by a referee will establish a degree of credibility based on that referees desire for excellence, his work habits , proper training, fitness, mechanics, good mentoring, evaluations, assessments and the most important fundamental of co-operation that far too often is ignored.

Regular seminars and meetings with the referees, coaches, players and parents to go over the concerns and challenges of all being on the same side (the benefit of those entrusted to our care) even if we agree to disagree.

We know that referees are as prone to error as any other facet in the game. We also know that objective points of view are rare in a need to win competitive match and to that extent we agree to disagree.
Cheers