Question Number: 27011

Law 11 - Offside 11/13/2012

RE: Rec, Select Under 16

Phil of Troy, MI USA asks...

While watching my daughter's U15 Club match, I saw 3 of ours get hit by balls kicked point-blank by 1 of theirs.

1 time is bad luck, but being a referee, I think twice about it the second time.
By the third time, coincidence loses its charm.

Can a player be carded for 'drilling' opponents with the ball, like a goalie who throws a ball at an opponent with malice?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
Almost impossible to say in a game that an opponent is intentionally kicking a ball at an opponent unless it is so plainly obvious such as a player say kicking the ball in a very odd direction that there cannot be any other reason other than directly at an opponent. The referee can view that as violent conduct or unsporting behaviour if excessive force is not used
An example would be is where a player say is heading towards goal and then turns for no playing reason towards a player / substitute in an odd direction and kicks the ball directly at that person then that is an offence. That will be plainly obvious.
If it is just part of play and a player kicks the ball in the normal direction / manner with a player getting in the way then that is just part of the game. So in your example as an opponent was kicking the ball and each time she was closed down by an opponent then the referee just accepts any ball contact even heavy as part of play.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It is very common for players to be hit by the ball during a match. Circumstances will inform the referee whether something is done with the intent to injure.

Most of the time, the 'intent' is simply to kick it away and quickly.

The referee does have the power to punish misconduct that is violent conduct or is unsporting behavior, when appropriate.