Question Number: 5673

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct

RE: Professional Adult

Martin Fallows of Huddersfield, West Yorks Unted Kingdom asks...

A common time wasting tactic when a team is leading by a single goal in the last few minutes of a match is to move the ball near the opposition's corner flag and then hold off the defender(s) as they try to win possession back. I agree that this is not against the Laws of the Game as the attacking player cannot be obstructing the defender as it is the attacker who has control of the ball (it might be against the spirit of the game, but that is an entirely different matter !)..My question, however, concerns whether there is anything in the Laws which prevents a defending player from leaving the field of play by stepping over the touchline or byeline and moving around to tackle the attacking player from the front and attempting to win the ball..During the normal course of play, players' momentum often takes them momentarily out of the field of play, and as long as the ball at the corner flag area is still in play and the defenders foot/leg is in the field of play, is this a legal challenge for the ball ?.The only Law I can find which even mentions leaving the field of play seems to be directed specifically at injured players making a return (which must first be approved by the referee) or substitutions (again, the referee must give his approval before the player can cross the touchline). As minor occurances of players being outside the field of play occur all the time throughout a match, and the referee or assistant obviously do not stop the player re-entering, is this tactic by a defender to break-up a time wasting move legal ?

Answer provided by Referee Powell

Martin,..First of all, Hello I am from Ilkley only 15 miles from you, its a small world isn't it...We accept this is a time wasting tactic but it is part of the laws and referees are coming under more pressure to resolve this tactic..You mention that the player takes the ball to the corner and "holds" off the defenders. If he "Holds" them off then a ref can penalise for "holding" as this is an offence under Law12 and referees could nip this in the bud by penalising under this breach of law. If the attacker is simply keeping his body between the defender and the ball we are unable to penalise..There is no specific guideline to say we must or must not penalise for a player leaving the field during the normal course of play; other then running down the touch line and leaving accidenatlly which is acceptable and I really cannot imagine a referee penalising a defender who leaves the field in order to make a tackle at the corner flag. Why players haven't done it ages ago I really don't know...Keep Smiling.Steve Powell

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

That about covers that! If the attacker is holding, pushing with his butt pull him up, if not it's OK, but ugly...Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Dawson

Hi Martin,. I am in agrrement with my colleagues. I have no issue with a player leaving the FOP to play a ball when another is using the corner flag as extra protection to screen it. If the butt ugly pushes out or the arms are holding the referee can call it as he sees it. Cheers