Question Number: 17586

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/29/2007

RE: competitive Under 15

Gordon Walker of Houston, TX USA asks...

There seems to be a lot of discussion here on charging. "I know a foul when I see it seems to be the jist of the answers". I'm not a big fan of ITOOR, and like to know when I'm right or wrong.

Defender comes from a distance away (10+ yards), from 0-30 degrees behind the attacker and makes immediate shoulder to shoulder contact, knocking the player off the ball. This is not side-by-side jostling, not an attempt to be able to play the ball, but playing the attacker to disrupt their run.

Isn't this clearly a foul?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Charging is a direct free kick offence and in the lead paragraph to that section of Law 12 we read the following:

A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following six offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

So not being a fan of ITOOR negates your ability to judge any of the first six direct free kick offences, of which charging just happens to be one. Sorry Gordon. Gotta have an opinion to give a free kick for charging. Without any opinion nothing has happened.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

H Gordon,
if you technically apply the exact letter of the law almost ANY contact prior to touching the ball is in reality a foul. We often consider the players acceptance of some contact as trivial in they accept it as part of the playing conditions.

Unfortunately you knowing right from wrong will not convince another if they to think they know right from wrong only different. An opinion is just that a perception, be it thought of as fair or foul requires a central understanding that charging at a dead run from ten yards is charging at ANY angle whether there is shoulder to shoulder or not is a foul. Shoulder to shoulder requires opposing players to be jostling for the ball within playing distance not ramming into blowing them away or flipping them over at intersecting angles .

Now we could have two opposing players intersect getting to that ball from a distance. Here neither player can be said to have control and the other trying to take away that control. Here we need to consider the collision in light of the opportunity to get to the ball excessive body action after or is the other lining the other up by not looking at the ball but at the player.

If you think it is clear consider the advice your national association and see the broader interpretation.

12.5 CHARGING
The act of charging an opponent can be performed without it being called as a foul. Although the fair charge is commonly defined as "shoulder to shoulder," this is not a requirement and, at certain age levels where heights may vary greatly, may not even be possible. Furthermore, under many circumstances, a charge may often result in the player against whom it is placed falling to the ground (a consequence, as before, of players differing in weight or strength). The Law does require that the charge be directed toward the area of the shoulder and not toward the center of the opponent's back (the spinal area): in such a case, the referee should recognize that such a charge is at minimum reckless and potentially even violent. (See also Advice 12.14.)
It is not a violation of Law 12 for two players to charge the same opponent simultaneously, provided that each charge considered individually is conducted fairly and legally.

FIFA additional instructions
Charging an opponent
The act of charging is a challenge for space using physical contact
within playing distance of the ball without using arms or elbows.
It is an offence to charge an opponent
? in a careless manner
? in a reckless manner
? using excessive force
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Yes it is

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Sounds like a foul to me. A player cannot carlessly, recklessly, or through excessive force charge another play. What you describe certainly sounds like a foul to me. It is of course always in the opinion of the referee to make the decision, but ramming a player off the ball certainly sounds like a foul. Just because the contact was from one shoulder to the next does not make it fair play.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 17603