Question Number: 35801

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/16/2024

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

Hello,

one 'holding' question please.

The Premier League website says this:

'Where both players are involved in simultaneous and similar actions (mutual holding), play should be allowed to continue.'

Situation:

Player A10 starts holding opponent player B5. Then Player B5 also starts holding player A10.

Does this mean that the fouls cancel each other out? We don't care who was first? (in this case A10)

Thank you very much!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Petr
it will once again depend ITOOTR!
The simultaneous aspect is key, as is doubtful in who started what?
The minimalistic trifling of a small pull or push as to the effect it actually has!

Most often this is a CHASE scenario in pursuit of the ball where two opposing playing are running side by side, although it could be just an attacker trying to breakaway in behind a defender to get into space as well, away from the ball.

The arm across the chest trying to leap forward by using the push/pull to get ahead whilst the opposing player is grabbing the short jersey area near the belly, grabbing to hold him back or prevent the run by.

Often the AR has a better view.
I recall more than once being asked/told when AR by the CR pretty much a toss up who is most guilty but looked liked a lot of holding and pulling was being shared.

KEY point a player will often lean into the top of the shoulder to slow the player
or drape an arm over the shoulder on pursuit trying to slingshot.

The deal is, whether or no, the pursuing player chooses to do this, if he was simply faster, the other will extend that arm to prevent the bypass and wind up grabbing short or jersey, holding that arm in place to counter the other player's attempt to get by.

Off the ball it is most often, but NOT always, the defender trying to slow up the run. If you do not WATCH HOW it began you only see them locked together! Ask your ARs to be vigilant to determine if the one who started it did so to get by or hold back?

It is VERY VERY rare they do it EXACTLY at the same time, one is more a reaction to the other! Defenders will not easily allow an attacker to get by and attackers will try make it look like they are being impeded or held to draw a foul.

Like in any foul recognition sequence, knowledge of the LOTG, understanding what players will or will not tolerate and what you are willing to accept as fair or foul. You experience, solid positioning and good ARs play a large part of a CRs on field success.

Chances are is the attacker is ahead, and that shirt is stretched, you missed the simultaneous aspect. If you missed the attacker had initiated the deke to get around with a shady pull back, you are now seeing a pure holding foul by the defender which is likely called!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
Be wary of taking advice from the Pro game such as the Premier League. This advice may have come from PGMOL the PL Referee body who I believe will have regular meetings with teams, players etc on policy, what is to be expected etc. Some of the advice is particular to that League such as allowance for time lost, returning after injury treatment etc. The only true source of Law is the IFAB law book and Advice attached.

So we know holding is an offence. The notion of mutual holding which is not a law term is probably confined to set play restarts such as corners, free kicks etc. It rarely happens in open play in that typically one player is trying to hold an opponent. Those always get called!

UEFA in its recent training on holding shows an incident in the Ireland V England Nations Cup game where an Ireland player Ogbene at a corner shows no interest in the ball and is seen holding Maguire of England at a corner kick. Both were beside each other. The ball went over their heads. Nothing was given in the game including VAR yet UEFA’s opinion was that it should have been a penalty and a caution.
Was it *mutual* holding? Did the referee think that both were holding? Obviously he did and it was one of those * it happens in every game* corner kick scenarios. It is a plague that has beset the game and I see it now at under 12 upwards. It is simply because referees have failed to take the appropriate action and this *mutual* holding advice justifies a no call.

You may recall that many years ago back in 2011/12 the Law stated that a dropped ball was the restart when more than one offence occured at the same time.
That got removed as we know that simultaneous offences by separate players are rare if at all, with one offence occuring first. It rarely if ever was used.
It is now
** punishes the more serious offence, in terms of sanction, restart, physical severity and tactical impact, when more than one offence occurs at the same time**

In your example it is a foul by A10 which is the first offence. The foul by B5 unfortunately leads into the no call territory which is incorrect. I watched a game recently which had one of those situations. It was a penalty yet the referee made no call.