- Taking a Penalty - Martin Oldfield
The most popular sport in the world is football (known as soccer in the USA). Millions will watch the football World Cup hosted by South Africa from June 11th to July 11th 2010. Further millions play and watch games during their football seasons but the rules are not always fully understood by some spectators. Some players and fans assert, no doubt unfairly, that not all referees understand the rules either. This is particularly noticeable when the players'/fans’ teams have not benefited from the referees decisions!
This article outlines the rules about when yellow and red cards (first used in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico) should be shown to players by the referee, and also when handball should be penalised. What will not disappear, thankfully, are arguments between players/fans/managers about the interpretation of these rules!
When Is a Card Red Or Yellow?
Denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free-kick or a penalty kick.
There are seven different offences that can get players a yellow card:
- Anything that can be deemed as unsporting behaviour
- Dissent by word or action
- Persistent infringement of the laws, for example, a series of fouls
- Delaying the restart of play
- Not retreating the required distance at a free-kick or corner
- Entering or re-entering the pitch without the referee's permission
- Deliberately leaving the pitch without the referee's permission
If a player gets shown two yellow card during one match then a red card is shown and he is sent off the field of play.
A Player is Shown the Red Card and Sent Off if They Commit Any of the Following Seven Offences:
- Using offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
- Receiving a second caution in the match. This is the most common reason for being sent off.
- Serious foul play
- Spitting at an opponent or another person (e.g. a fan or an official)
- A player other than the goalkeeper denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball
- Violent conduct, such as throwing a punch
- Denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal is an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
"Hand To Ball Or Ball To Hand"?
Nothing stirs the passions like a controversial handball decision. A ball slams into a player's arm and one team and their fans are screaming for a penalty, while their opponents are claiming it was an accident. It is a difficult one for the referee to call in the heat of the moment.
What is 'Deliberate' Handball?
In FIFA's Laws of the Game (2005), Law 12 states that a free kick or penalty will be awarded if a player "handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)".
It adds: "Referees are reminded that deliberately handling the ball is normally punished only by a direct free-kick or penalty kick if the offence occurred inside the penalty area. FIFA continues …"A caution or dismissal is not normally required."
However, the document fails to describe what constitutes deliberate handball, and therefore places the responsibility firmly on the referee and referees' assistants. It may often depend on the referee's interpretation whether the hand or arm is in an "unnatural" position at the point of contact.
And there will always be at least one manager, 11 players and thousands (or millions if the game is shown on TV) of fans who will insist they have been hard done by.
It is important that all players, officials and spectators understand the rules of football. One of the enjoyable aspects of football, and many other sports, is the debate between fans about the interpretation of the rules during a game.
To find out about the English Premier League click here.
To find out about the offside rule click here
To find out about free kicks and penalties click here
Martin Oldfield - Martin Oldfield I have worked as a Tour Leader taking groups of travellers to a range of countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and ...
