Question Number: 20628

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 12/3/2008

RE: Select High School

Kerry Fraser of Vienna, VA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16695

Let's say a defender makes a clean slide tackle from the side. One leg, near the ground and with the toes pointed, knocks the ball away. The other leg is bent and makes no contact with the attacker. Nowhere near excessive force. The only issue of concern is that the defender contacts the ball very close to the attacker's foot. The attacker has no opportunity to avoid the tackler's outstretched leg and goes down. Under what circumstances might this be judged a trip? Does the defender have to make the tackle far enough in front of the attacker so that the attacker at least has the possibility of hopping over the outstretched leg?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

No. As long as the defender makes a clean tackle as described in your question, there is no offense. Remember tripping or attempting to trip must be done either carelessly, recklessly or with excessive force. Nothing in the scenario suggests the tackle was careless and thus the referee must conclude there was no offense - whether or not the attacker falls.

The big question will be what the referee sees. If the ref sees the defender's foot contact the ball first with the attacker going down second, there should be no call. However, since we referees aren't always in the prime position to make a call, it is possible a good tackle will be called anyway - not right, but that's life!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Seen plenty of good tackles called foul. Foul recognition, opinion, point of view and angle all factor in to a referees' decision. Going down to ground and knocking the ball away or trapping the ball in the crook of the knee with an opponent FALLING as opposed to being tripped is not a foul per law per referee well for those who understand and are in a position to see it well not a foul either, for the others you will have to agree to disagree Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Kerry, you ask us two questions. The first one asks under what cirumstances might your situation be judged as a trip. The answer is that if the referee 'judged' (incorrectly) that contact was made with the opponent before touching the ball, it is a trip. It is irrelevant what actually happened: it is what the referee saw that counts. If you are asking it from the point of Law, than there should be no foul in this case.
Your second question asks whether it is incumbent on the defender to think about if his other leg is going to trip the opponent. The short answer is no. However, if that defender goes out of his way and makes sure the opponet goes flying by raising his other leg for that sole purpose, that now becomes tripping. Soccer is a contact sport and slide tackles often end up making contact: legally.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

In the eyes of the law there should be no foul here. Sometimes referees see things differently, and when opinions diverge regarding the facts of what has happened, the referee's trumps others.

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

See Question: 20631