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Soccer Referee Questions on Soccer Rules

You-Call-It 23

Question...

It is raining heavily; a striker in on goal with only the keeper to beat is being doggedly pursued by the 2nd last opponent who clearly slips on the wet pitch and crashes into the back of the striker's legs bringing him down. What is your call? Your match! Your Decision! Your Reputation!

Our Hint

law 5 Law 12 the unwritten law??

Our Answer...

Note the location of the contact was not mentioned! Some inferred it was inside the Penalty Area given we stated the striker had only the keeper to beat but that is not absolute now is it?

In the actual situation when the pursuing defender slipped because the attacker in front changed direction slightly what we do not say was he twisted his ankle on a rut in the pitch and was substituted from the game shortly after. Now are some of you thinking you as a referee might change your decision based on this added bit of intelligence?
Why?
Many of you were adamant that it MUST be at minimum a careless foul! Some suggested it could even be reckless or excessive. Many wanted us to apply the DOGSO criteria and send off the defender. Others thought since it was an accidental slip that we could wave the DOGSO or only caution or only award a free kick! We were taken aback that some actually thought this could be classified as an impeding call.

The reason intent was removed from the laws was it was hard to mind read players thus we do not worry what the defender intended! Ask yourself was it down to carelessness, could the defender have avoided the collision if he had taken more care? The referee can STILL see what occurred and has the discretion to consider the spirit of the LOTG and the recommendations that we punish the deliberate breeches of the law and to consider the doubtful or trifling aspects of cause and effect!

There is no wiggle room if you are adamant the free kick is there and if the DOGSO criteria were met! If you saw this as a careless trip then it is a DFK or PK and if DOGSO criteria are met it is a send off!
The only other decision was not to make one and sell it to all watching as, ACCIDENTAL he fell! Keep playing! IF you hold the opinion the incident was not carelessness and obviously a complete accident then let play continue.

That was our Question YOUR Answer is...

Al a Referee from Strathroy ON Canada

Two things to consider:

Was this a slip (accident) caused by a careless action on the player (who knew the conditions)?

Was this a completely inadvertent slip that no one could have predicted or reasonably prevented?

If in any doubt, I would lean toward the latter. The description does not indicate that the defender exhibited any act of carelessness. As such, in this incident: no foul, play continues. As referee, I would be calling out, "Accidental!! No Foul!! Sorry, attacker, he simply slipped in the water."

The referee, at this point, however, should seriously consider the safety of the playing surface. If someone is slipping on a relatively straight run, what can happen to players attempting to make sudden stops or sudden turns? They may very well slip into opponents at significant speed, with a significant lack of control and may cause (even if only careless) serious injuries.

AskTheref.com Educating and Amusing The Soccer Referee Since October 11, 1999

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