Question Number: 19120

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/18/2008

RE: Adult

Warren of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19058

Hi all.

In his answer to this question Referee Ben says "The laws do say that a player can run off the field during the normal course of play".

The FIFA laws mention leaving the field to correct equipment problems, as a result of injury, for substitutions and interchanges (where allowed), taking liquid refreshment at the touchline, and obviously for sending off etc.

Obviously as refs we are not silly about inappropriately insisting that a player stay absolutely within the confines of the field (players retrieve balls for throw-ins etc) but Ben could you please let me know which law you are referring to with your comment ?

And as for the player repeatedly taking a wide excursis off the field I'd think the repetition (as opposed to a one-off) constituted unsporting behavious and would caution appropriately.

Thanks. Warren.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Warren in the Additional Instructions and Guidelines FIFA have offered this:

If a player accidentally crosses one of the boundary lines of the field
of play play, he is not deemed to have committed an infringement. Going off the field of play may be consider considered to be part of a playing movement.

The reason for saying something such as this may involve advantage. An opponent placing himself in the path of an attack to stymie that attack doesn't do so if the attacker can avoid the obstacle by taking another path. Here we have impeding the progress and leaving the field without permission. Now given there are no barriers, save a chalk or painted line on the ground it is entirely possible a player may not know he is leaving the park, is it not? In the case of the 19058 asks about we were expected to answer if CONTINUAL leaving the park a distance of 2 metres to gain some advantage over an opponent was within the spirit of things.

Looking back at the dark ages of my playing days I can't remember ever leaving the field of play to avoid a challenge. That's not to say I never did, it only says I don't remember. In my 3000+ matches I don't remember a player having to do it either so I can deduce this is a rare thing. The questioner asked if does this continually does something smell bad, I believe it does.

What to do? I'm going to attempt to manage this with a quiet word and hope it stops. If it doesn't stop I'm going to stop it and that might involve a caution.

Regards,