Question Number: 6815

Law 5 - The Referee

RE: Gold Under 17

Phil of Vancouver, Canada asks...

A mid field player loses the ball on a challenge from an opposing forward and as the forward dribbles past her the mid-field player flicks up her heel and makes contact with the forward. Contact was light-medium. Do I play advantage for the forward and come back to this later i.e. card mid-field player or do I whistle this immediately and award a DFK plus caution the mid-field player for USB? If forward had been hurt by this heel flick would the card be RED? In this particular game I thought the player was guilty of reckless play only i.e. she thought she could get a piece of the ball as the player dribbled by her, and did not think she intended to hurt the other player. Comments please.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

This is your call but here's my 2 cents worth. From your description it sounds as if you thought there was a foul but nothing serious and the forward continued on with the ball. ADvantage certainly could be given in this situation. So, why would you go back and card her if it was a light foul? You do go on to say that the girl was guilty of reckless play only. Well, if you do mean reckless and not careless, then, sure, at the next stoppage of play you go back and caution the player commiting the foul. You describe this is a light-medium foul. To me, that means it was not with excessive force nor endangering the opponent. If the opponent gets injured it shouldn't have a bearing on your call. Suppose a player trips another but it was from the front and just barely careless yet you deem it a foul. Are you going to send off that player if the other happens to land wrong and break her ankle? WHat if 2 players collide, no foul, and one of them breaks a collarbone? These things happen but the results shouldn't alter the call. It works conversely. A defender comes from behind,makes no attempt at the ball and takes down her opponent endangering her safety. A classic red card offense. Do you NOT give the red card if the attacker doesn't get hurt? Of course not. You punish the action

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Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Phil play advantage or give the free kick as the situation demands. As to the careless, reckless or excessive force aspect of the foul play, again, deal with it as the situation and game control demand. Note playing advantage on an excessively forceful kick or attempt to kick can bite you on the arse. Think, if you will, of the next stoppage in play, where you intend to send off the kicker, is for a goal and that player is the one that scored. You will have everyone seriously unhappy; the team with the goal because you sent off the player for scoring a goal and the other side because you didn't send him off soon enough. ..Regards,

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