Question Number: 17590

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/29/2007

RE: Level 3 Adult

Edgar of Calgary, Alberta Canada asks...

I've searched the rule book to try to find the 4 or 5 points for a legal shoulder charge but can't find any reference.

I've been at Referee Courses where the instructor has gone over the requirements for a legal shoulder charge. If they are not in the rule book then where do the requirements come from?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Usually when you find check points to assist in determining whether or not there is foul play it is the instructor providing them to aid the student in recalling his ideas. Right let's muddle through a charge and see just how many points we can come up with.

The charge is a direct free kick offence so in order to have one of those we need a player doing it, while the ball is in play, on the field, against an opponent. Hey, that's already four. Now, add could have avoided running into the opponent, it doesn't involve the hands, it doesn't involve the feet [pushing or kicking or tripping or striking are out], it doesn't involve leaving the ground as in jumping at AND is at least careless but could be reckless or use excessive force.

That leaves only charging as the offence because the last four direct free kick offences only need have the act itself to be an offence.

There, and I didn't need the list of four points to lead me to charging as the only possible infraction. Of course the referee need only blow the whistle and point in the direction of the direct free kick to signal he saw something amiss. He needs no specific thing in mind because they kinda look the same and the punishment IS the same for all direct free kick offences. Besides the player knows exactly what he did and that is who is being pulled up for the offence.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Edgar,
look over Q&A 17586 there is another questioner with similar concerns. Rather than reprint the ATR advice or requote FIFA just have a quick look .
Cheers