Question Number: 18026

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/28/2007

RE: Recreational Amateur Adult League Adult

Mike of Chino Hills, CA USA asks...

I have a question about tripping. At one point, I was dribbling with the ball, when an opponent came alongside me, and crossed his leg in front of both of my legs. I ended up falling hard. The referee did not call a foul, and I figured it was because the player must have made contact with the ball first. Still, I know that I would not have played the ball the same way against an opponent, but maybe I'm naive. Later in the game, the player's rough play escalated to a very serious foul against another player, and then a fight. He was kicked out of the league as a result. Back to the "trip" -- it was not a sliding tackle -- it was done while he was standing. Assuming he did play the ball, is this fair play or a foul? Just trying to get a handle on what is fair and what is foul when a trip occurs.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

That depends on if he fairly played the ball and if you then tripped over his outstrecthed leg. If he actually tripped you then it was a foul, if you fell over his leg then it is no foul. That is up to the referee to decide what has happenend and whether it should be deemed a foul.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hard to say. The first requirement is he has to get the ball. Secondly, he has to do what he can to avoid tripping you. If he did not, then he is guilty of tripping

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mike,
No physical contact via that leg can occur unless the ball is knocked away by the defending player. Then SOME contact could occur that in the opinion of the referee is ok or fair in he judges you have fallen over the leg after the ball was kicked away.

A well timed tackle that could knock a ball away and have the attacker fall over the outstretched leg certainly has less chance of being seen as a foul if there is no extra stuff added once the ball is gone.

For instance if there was a charge involved where he sticks in the leg to boot the ball and crashes into you is in my opinion a foul. If he stops and simply pokes the ball away I could look for a sweeping motion or a raised leg motion as a possible foul! Sometimes there lies within the body language that tells me the defender is in, ?I got ball but I am getting player too mode!?

Going to ground for a slide tackle is in my opinion MORE likely to be foul bound but often in a standing challenge a leg in cuts across the top of the attacker's knee, thigh or hip before there is ball contact in which case tackles before a ball is touched is by definition a foul

The safety issue of any fair challenge is within the discretion of the referee in that match as to whether it is disregarded in an inappropriate manner by which an opponent decides to try and take a ball away from another player. The ball within playing distance leaves not a lot of time or space for a leg in and withdrawn quickly but certainly we look at the WAY in which the leg comes in and ANY subsequent extra force or unnecessary action once the ball is struck away cleanly.
Cheers