Question Number: 30240

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/4/2016

RE: Competitive Adult

Ryan of Mascot, NSW Australia asks...

The ball is in play but off the ball an attacker strikes a defender in the penalty area, the defender retaliates with a punch. The attacker receives a yellow card, the defender a red card. Is it a free kick to the defender's team (because that offence happened first) or is it a penalty because the second offence was more serious?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ryan,
these are not simultaneous fouls nor two fouls by the same person these fouls occur one after the other! The 1st foul is punished with the free kick and determined as a cautionable event thus shown the yellow card, the retaliatory misconduct is treated as violent conduct as the ball is technically no longer in play as the 1st offence is why play is being stopped. The player who retaliated is shown the red card and sent off!
The correct restart is a DFK out in favor of the defense, but they will play a man down. The strike as one of the DFK fouls listed in law 12 is of course determined in the opinion of the referee as careless or reckless or excessive. However, cautioning the one and sending off the other for essentially the sametype of foul just perhaps less forcibly done will likely be a difficult sell unless the 1st strike was of a very mild nature. Open hand push off chest or a slap of the oppressing arm redirecting away from the face.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ryan
Once the ball is in play it makes no difference where the offence happens. The referee will punish the offence that happened first which is the strike by the attacker and the restart will be a DFK to the defending team.
Also while you make a difference between a strike and a punch many if not all referees will consider both as violent conduct. If a player came up and say slapped a player on the head which results in retaliation with a punch IMO both players should be dismissed. Even if both players are sent off the first offence is the one that is punished. If the referee cannot determine which one happened first with both player fighting then the restart is either a dropped ball for simultaneous offences or a DFK for the offence that he did see happen first.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Ryan,

The free kick is awarded with respect to the first offence - the strike by the attacker. From this moment play is considered to have stopped (even if the referee hasn't yet blown his whistle). Anything after can be dealt with by cards if needed, but doesn't change the restart.

Answer provided by Referee James Sowa

Ryan,

The only time we punish the more serious foul is if both fouls were committed by the same team. In your scenario, we must follow the sequence of events. Attacker strikes the defender then the defender punched the attacker.

The restart is determined by the initial foul which was against the attacking team. This means we have a direct free kick coming out. Sure we send off the defender for the punch, but I have to wonder whether the attacker might warrant something more than just a caution for his role in this situation...