Question Number: 23866

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/2/2010

RE: competitive Under 17

Bill Nelsn of Coon Rapids, MN USA asks...

The ball is in the air, defender back to ball attacker facing the ball, and the defender and attacker go to play it when the attacker suddenly turns around when the ball appears that it will go over them and the defender goes to play the ball and runs into the player prior to playing the ball.
Is there a foul by the defender by crashing into the attackers back prior to going for the ball? Or since the attacker turned her back she is considered playing the player and not the ball so there is no foul?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The referee has to make a decision.

Usually, the defender who is looking at the ball is making a fair challenge for it. Usually, the defender who is not looking at the ball, and is only looking at the opponent, is trying to cheat because the opponent has better position, speed, strength or skill. The referee who understands why players foul often catches them.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bill
Not an easy one. It is a foul and the referee has to decide which way. The referee can view that the attacker made no effort to play the ball and the contact with the defender is a foul against the attacker.
On the other hand the referee might view that the defender was careless in his attempt to win the ball and as he started off with his back to the ball that he was in fact 'winging it' and only the flight of the ball changed his challenge before contacting the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

This is one of those 'You gotta be there!' questions. Under the right circumstances either player could be the guilty one, and one assumes the referee was in a correct position to judge what occurred.