Penalty for provoking attacker inside penalty area with light push?

[Lefelee]

Had a game recently where an attacker went down in the box quite easy, the tackle was on the ball, definitely no pen, but in my view not simulation either. The ball stays in play, and immediately after the ball has been cleared, a defender runs towards the attacker on the ground, stands over him and shouts abuse at him, and when the attacker gets up, he gives him a light push in the chest.

I immediately run across, get the defender away, I ask him what the **** he was doing, and I book him. Then, I give a penalty, thinking that this behaviour must be punished very strictly from a prevention perspective. He pushed the attacker, so there was physical contact.

There were some protests, but when after I told the captain what had happened and that it was the ridiculous behaviour of his defender that was the cause of all this, he accepted my decision. I told the coach of the team the same at half-time and he said he agreed with me.

What is your view on this decision?

 

[MatthewC]

Sounds spot on to me. A push is a foul. Maybe that'll teach the defender not to be so stupid in the future!

 

[one]

Had a game recently where an attacker went down in the box quite easy, the tackle was on the ball, definitely no pen, but in my view not simulation either. The ball stays in play, and immediately after the ball has been cleared, a defender runs towards the attacker on the ground, stands over him and shouts abuse at him, and when the attacker gets up, he gives him a light push in the chest.

I immediately run across, get the defender away, I ask him what the **** he was doing, and I book him. Then, I give a penalty, thinking that this behaviour must be punished very strictly from a prevention perspective. He pushed the attacker, so there was physical contact.

There were some protests, but when after I told the captain what had happened and that it was the ridiculous behaviour of his defender that was the cause of all this, he accepted my decision. I told the coach of the team the same at half-time and he said he agreed with me.

What is your view on this decision?

Did you consider the light push to be careless (LOTG definition) or worse?
What was your reasoning behind punishing the push and not punishing the shouts of 'abuse' which came before the push?

 

[TopCat]

Did you consider the light push to be careless (LOTG definition) or worse?
What was your reasoning behind punishing the push and not punishing the shouts of 'abuse' which came before the push?

Would fall under unsporting behaviour?

 

[CapnBloodbeard]

you made the right decision. Given the player was standing over the other, I'd suggest you should actually have stopped play at this point to deal with it, and issue a caution and an IFK. but given that you didn't, PK for the push would be correct, and a caution. Push here would certainly be careless minimum, even with minimal contact.

 

[JamesL]

Had a game recently where an attacker went down in the box quite easy, the tackle was on the ball, definitely no pen, but in my view not simulation either. The ball stays in play, and immediately after the ball has been cleared, a defender runs towards the attacker on the ground, stands over him and shouts abuse at him, and when the attacker gets up, he gives him a light push in the chest.

I immediately run across, get the defender away, I ask him what the **** he was doing, and I book him. Then, I give a penalty, thinking that this behaviour must be punished very strictly from a prevention perspective. He pushed the attacker, so there was physical contact.

There were some protests, but when after I told the captain what had happened and that it was the ridiculous behaviour of his defender that was the cause of all this, he accepted my decision. I told the coach of the team the same at half-time and he said he agreed with me.

What is your view on this decision?

I sincerely hope you didnt ask "what the **** he was doing."?

As referees we dont need to concern ourselves with why. We sanction what we have seen, no need for enquiry; it does not change the outcome.

 

[Lefelee]

Well, occasionally when there's unsporting conduct, I try to be a little condescending with players within reasonable limits, I find it helps match control and prevents further unsporting conduct. That sometimes includes comments like "what are you doing", "why did you do that", "what was the reason for that", "give me one good reason for doing what you did" (if the player protests), "you're just shouting for a foul because you lost the challenge", "I know why you did that", "you've got a tactic of fouling him/them, don't you?".

Never once heard from anyone that what I've been doing anything wrong, considering that I only do it when a player has been acting unsportingly. I only tell a player that he's shouting for a foul because he lost the challenge when I'm 100% sure that it is the reason, and that helps as well.

 

[JamesL]

Well, occasionally when there's unsporting conduct, I try to be a little condescending with players within reasonable limits, I find it helps match control and prevents further unsporting conduct. That sometimes includes comments like "what are you doing", "why did you do that", "what was the reason for that", "give me one good reason for doing what you did" (if the player protests), "you're just shouting for a foul because you lost the challenge", "I know why you did that", "you've got a tactic of fouling him/them, don't you?".

Never once heard from anyone that what I've been doing anything wrong, considering that I only do it when a player has been acting unsportingly. I only tell a player that he's shouting for a foul because he lost the challenge when I'm 100% sure that it is the reason, and that helps as well.

It was more the stars...i.e. swearing
Doesn't set a great example.. the lotg apply to referees too, we aren't above the law and therefore we should set examples where possible. Our choice of language, on field of play particularly is an oportunity to do so.

Also if you find enquiring why a player did something works for you then thats ok. I jusy dont see it as part of my role as a referee. Mainly as irrespective of why the sanction wont change but each to their own in this respect.

 

[Lefelee]

I was just a little hyperbolic, didn't swear at him, but I wish I could

 

[one]

Would fall under unsporting behaviour?

If you are referring to the "shouts of abuse", then it would fall under "using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures" which is a red card and IFK restart.