Question Number: 17017

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/1/2007

RE: Under 12

Nita of Jonesboro, Arkansas United States asks...

My 11 year old son was given a yellow card for ''retaliation'' in his soccer game yesterday. At what point does the pushing become a form of retaliation, as opposed to aggressive gameplay? The player that my son ''retaliated'' against was never charged with a foul. Also, in this age league, is it customary for the referee to put his finger in a childs face and threaten the child with further penalty?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Retaliation is when a player does something, that usually is a foul in its own right, to get back at an opponent. You admit your son pushed his opponent; that's a foul. It could be he was just frustrated that the opponent beat him to the ball, or dribbled around him. The opponent didn't have to foul your son first for there to be retaliation.

The ref's card-side manner needs some work. We don't wag our fingers at players, no matter the age.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Your son might have been the recipient of unpunished foul play and retaliated. Most referees on matches at the U-little level of play are not all that experienced or skilled so they do tend to miss the initial foul and have no problem catching the paybacks. Whether your son retaliated or initiated the foul play he is guilty of, in the referee's eye, a reckless push or a reckless strike or the attempt to strike. Those are both offences for which a player is cautioned and shown the yellow card.

I will not defend the referee if he did administer the discipline in the manner suggested, I don't use that technique and would speak to a referee after his match if I saw it used.

Regards,