Question Number: 22754

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/24/2010

RE: Rec Under 17

steve b of barrington, IL USA asks...

Everton v Manchester City Premier League match January 16, 2010. Towards the end of first half Man City defender Micah Richards grabs the jersey of Everton attacker Louis Saha at the penalty arc (outside of penalty area). Defender continues to hold on to attackers jersey as attacker enters penalty area. Holding foul called, penalty kick awarded to Everton attacker. Should not the referee have called for a DFK from the spot where the foul originated (at the arc) instead of waiting to call the foul when the attacker was in the penalty area. The severity of the hold was no greater inside the penalty area than it was outside the penalty area. It seemed to me that the defender was being punished not for COMMITTING the actual foul, but for the DURATION of the foul. Thanks for your thoughts.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Steve
This was absolutely the correct decision by the referee on the day.
Referee Voshol quotes the law in relation to this.
You might have also seen the penalty incident in the Manchester United v Mancheter City game recently where the Utd player pulled the City player outside the box. He subsequently pulled him again inside the penalty area which resulted in a penalty. The referee in that case was entitled to play advantage on the 1st foul and to award the penalty on the second foul

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Several years ago IFAB changed this. The documentation can be found in the old Q&A, 12.31:
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A defender starts holding an attacker outside the penalty area but finishes inside the penalty area. What action should the referee take?
He would award a penalty kick.
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Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Why give the benefit to the defender who is cheating? If the hold continues into the penalty area, then it should be a penalty kick, pure and simple.