Question Number: 19556

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/2/2008

Chris of Vancouver, Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19525

I really appreciate the clarifications on tackles. I will sum up how I understand up to now, and then ask a question.

a) Any tackle that makes contact with player first is a foul.

b) Any tackle that makes contact with ball first can still be a foul if the momentum of the tackle follows through to trip or threaten the safety of the opponent, or if the tackle was made with studs up for instance (even if no contact made).

c) A tackle can be made from anywhere including from behind, if it gets the ball first, and does not cause a further foul to an opponent, e.g. trip, push, etc.

Question:

What about the following scenario:

Attacker advancing on defender's left. Makes a fake as if to continue by defender on defender's left but swerves in front of defender, moving across front of defender from defender's left to right. Defender follows the move and deftly sticks out his knee and foot so that the foot stops the ball with the leg perpindicular all the way up to the knee. A nanosecond later, with no chance of avoiding it, the attacker trips over the defender's leg as the defender is still holding the ball. Call?

Same scenario, except this time the defender sticks out his foot only, and the attacker trips over the ball held motionless by defender.

Thx

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

a. No, that is not true.
b. that's true
c. that's true also
Nanosecond? You have one heck of an ability to judge time! Don'e see any fouls in your question

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Because a tackle is directed at the ball I tend to think if a player is or appears to be the target the tackle is at least careless and beginning this year it's foul play.

Regards,