Question Number: 30197

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/15/2016

RE: Youth to adult, comp and rec.

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

Using a online search tool, I searched the 2015-16 Laws for 'charging' and 'shoulder.'

I assumed the word shoulder would be there - but it isn't.

All we get is 'Charging an opponent
The act of charging is a challenge for space using physical contact within playing distance of the ball without using arms or elbows.
It is an offence to charge an opponent:
# in a careless manner
# in a reckless manner
# using excessive force'

Also 'If the ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly charged by an opponent.'

I like to keep my saw sharpened but now I'm left with the question 'what is a fair challenge?'

It has been my practice that a forceful challenge from behind or from the front is not on, that it needs to be shoulder-to-shoulder and of an appropriate amount of force. The Laws don't provide guidance.

Further: I've been seeing players standing, in possession of the ball, when some hockey-mentality opponent takes three running steps and bowls them over, shoulder-to-shoulder - or bowls them over after the ball is gone. Apparently some refs see that as a fair challenge, as they allow it to go without even a foul called or a 'word' after.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
The Laws of the Game require an element of tacit knowledge. There are many part to the law that are not spelled out explicitly and we are left to interpret same with help from what is understood / expected / advised in the game. For example what is a challenge? What is a kick? What constitute a legal throw in? We know what they are yet it is not written down in detail,
In respect of a charge the Law tells us that it is a challenge for space using physical contact within playing distance of the ball without using arms or elbows. So the hip , shoulder can be used. For those of us in the game a long time the laws did allow a higher level of contact in the past on charging. GKs used to be charged regularly once they came out of the goal area
In the modern game if the contact is in the chest or back area then that is deemed to be careless, reckless which makes it a foul.
As to the level of acceptable force I describe it as easing a player off the ball, that is the challenge for space. In your example where the player runs at an opponent from distance and knocks them to the ground shoulder to shoulder that is certainly careless, perhaps reckless which is a foul.
Careless means that the player has shown a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge or that he acted without precaution.
# No further disciplinary sanction is needed if a foul is judged to be careless
Reckless means that the player has acted with complete disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, his opponent.
# A player who plays in a reckless manner must be cautioned.
If I compare the described type of charge to that of a player running along side an opponent and he uses his shoulder on the opponents shoulder / side to move him away from the ball then that is not a foul. Yes sometimes the charged player can lose his balance and fall yet there has been no excessive action used and to use your term an appropriate amount of force was used to make space. I might also point out that one of the difficulties that referee have in this is mismatches in size and strength. When a large strong player charges a smaller opponent with perhaps little effort yet the smaller opponent is easily knocked to the ground then we have to just consider that for what it is, a mismatch.
In this video there is a charge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUCPFrOV8JM
Is it legal. Certainly the level of force used is low. The question is whether an arm was used to push the opponent. It is debateable and as the players accepted it as legal the referee correctly IMO allowed play to continue
In this one the referee sees it as a foul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWz2DEcSkqM
Was the shoulder into the players chest? He admits to using the shoulder yet that is only one element of a charge being legal.
Have a look at these clips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u6cHvsTArE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quqk637UI50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qhKJgaGPt8
All are illegal.
Now in this last one below I might see that one going unpunished in certain games. I don't have any difficulty with the referees call of a penalty kick and neither does the players
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OzBMZnZl7g

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

See Question: 30203