Question Number: 17197

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/8/2007

RE: 8 Under 15

Ron of Sioux City, IA USA asks...

I would like the panel of referees to take each cardable offense and explain the associated restart (IFK / DFK etc...) and why. I have seen examples, but feel that this panel could do the matter justice.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Ron, that would take pages and pages and it would never be complete - and whether a card will issue is always a matter of the referee's opinion. The simplest way to remember it is there are only 10 direct free kick offenses and those are the only things for which a direct free kick can be awarded. Those are: kicking or attempting to kick, striking or attempting to strike, tripping or attempting to trip, pushing, jumping at, charging, spitting, handling the ball DELIBERATELY, holding and tackling an opponent to gain possession of the ball where you make contact with the opponent before touching the ball. Everything else is an indirect free kick restart if it is an offense or misconduct. Now, if there is a direct free kick offense, and in the referee's opinion it also warrants the issuance of a misconduct - caution/send-off - the restart is still the direct free kick. If it is not an offense or misconduct and there is no prescribed restart, the restart is a dropped ball. Should you want to see a pretty good list of those things for which referees will issue cautions or send-offs, then open the Advice to Referees and look at the pages under Law 12, Part B where there is a nice long list. Even that is not exhaustive, however and thank goodness. Players are always doing something that needs a caution or send off, and the restart will depend entirely on whether there was a DFK offense in addition to the misconduct, or just misconduct. Hope that clears it up somewhat?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Briefly, when stopping play solely for misconduct on the field of play, by a player against an opponent, the restart is always an IFK. If the misconduct is associated with a foul then the restart is whatever it would be for the foul. For example, a player taunts another player. That's unsporting behavior and there's no foul associated with it. Restart with an IFK. In another example a player viciously tackles another player and is sent off and shown the red card. But it's associated with a foul, either tripping or kicking, so the restart is a DFK. Suppose you whistle a player for playing in a dangerous manner for a high kick that disadvantages an opponent. The player dissents. You caution the player and restart with an IFK, but this time it's because you stopped play for a foul punishable by an IFK. You always restart based on the reason why you stopped play.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ron.
as a volunteer site take a bit of time simply to long a project
There are ten penal fouls 6 have careless, reckless or excessive possibilities the other 4 simply need to occur. ANY act of misconduct at anytime, anywhere, on or off the field, ball in or out as long as those players are under the referee authority cards can be shown. The nature of the 7 caution able offences are within the ferocity of any challenge or any unsafe act or in the opinion of the referee any unsporting behavior as in (Tactical fouling taking one for the team so to speak)), unreasonable arguments, failure to abide by the requirements of distance, permission, the absence of freedom and constant disregard of the laws.
The 7 send offs are even more virulent and vulgar acts , pathetic use of the spoken word or action, spit, violence and serious foul play almost into court action behavior that could be criminal in act. Double trouble for being too dense to avoid further trouble and the harsh reality if you are unfairly preventing goals you are not destined to stay around.
It is not just what you do but how, where, when, and why that takes the simple into the realm of anguish cardable conduct as to the nature of the act that goes from a simple restart to perhaps being in danger of minding the behavior to avoid being sent off to outright see ya later sport you are not welcomed here!
Cheers