Question Number: 18549

Law 13 - Free Kicks 3/16/2008

RE: Rec Adult

Bradd Waggoner of Allen, Tx USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 18538

WOW, this sounds like Trickery to me [18538]. IF the referee deems this as a trick (noooo, what team would pull a TRICK on the field???) I would say, No goal, Restart = Goal Kick, Yellow Card (Caution) to Player A for USB, Trickery. Of course, if we would not have had the "Hey Coach" part, I feel this would be good. Thoughts?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The only place trickery is referred to in the Laws is in relation to using a trick to play the ball to the goalkeeper other than using the foot.

If you decide the communication by the players to deceive their opponents at a restart is unsporting behavior, it happened before the restart took place. After the caution, the restart remains the same as it was before - for example, a free kick or a corner kick.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I think this falls under the heading of "Stupid Coaches Tricks That Rarely Do Anything Anyway". If you thought it was unsporting behavior you could certainly caution the player. To me, the important thing is when the ball is kicked and moved.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Don't get all worried about this learned behaviour. We, the referees, are responsible for teaching stomping on the ball equals kicked and moves. Become one of the good guys, be a kicked and mover not a tap and wiggler.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Gamesmenship is not disallowed per say. Teams are always trying to trick the opponent . Here the real case is DOES it trick the referee?
If it does satisfy the restart requirements it is not manditory to see it as a caution.
For a ball to be put into play it MUST be kicked and discernably moved from here to there even if only slightly in whatever direction in the opinion of the referee. These type of anticsare not outlawed only frowned upon and certainly could qualify as cautionable but more often a loss of possession for a second touch makes it a pricy trick that backfires. Too many tricky dicky plays the ball is stepped on or foot rolled and it simply is NOT a true kick of the ball into play.
Aside from that if the referee buys into the ball was put into play, the defenders have every right to rush ANY free kick their oponents take at the least little foot positioning action they see.
Cheers