Question Number: 17694

Law 13 - Free Kicks 11/5/2007

RE: MLS Professional

Scott of Huntington Beach, ca usa asks...

Hi,

There was an interesting moment in Saturday's MLS playoff game. Chivas had free kick near midfield. A Kansas City player deliberately stood a yard or two in front of the ball.

The Chivas kicker placed both his hands on the chest of the Kansas City player and pushed him *hard* until he was five yards back or so, then took the kick. The referee made no call.

Clearly the Kansas City player was too close to the ball, but does that give the kicker the right to push him out of the way?

Should there have been a foul called or a caution given on this play?

Bonus question: Would your answer be different if this was a kids game?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

In my game this situation would never had been finished with a push, as I would have been cautioning the defending player as soon as he moved in front of the ball. For this reason alone, I would never be called upon to do a MLS game, as the powers that be do not wish to see the referees give cautions, because too many cautions result in send-offs. Send-offs result in star players not playing, and less fans attending games to see the stars. (The facts that I'm old, slow, and a grade 8 would also preclude me from being chosen for duties in MLS, but one could dream, right?)

The referee allowed the situation to go on to the point that the kicker thought he had to take matters into his own hands. How could the ref now chose this point to intervene, cautioning for the push?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

When MLS referees fail to enforce the Laws, it makes the rest of our jobs that much harded. There should have been at the least 2 cautions here, although if the referee had quickly acted appropriately only one was needed. The defender should have IMMEDIATELY been cautioned and shown the yellow card. Had he been, then the attacker would not have felt the need to shove him. That said, the referee did not caution the defender and Chivas should have kept his hands to himself. Depending on the force of his shove, a caution or sending off should have occured. My answer is no different if this were a kids game.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This is a sterling example of a player who felt obligated to enforce the Laws of the Game. It is probably something the referee should have been doing because it is his primary duty. Of course a referee enforcing the Laws of the Game in the MLS will be one less referee assigned to those matches...

Regards,

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

See Question: 17801