Holding Hands

[micky2001]

Is there anything to stop a defending team (at a freekick or in open play etc) all holding hands to form a human chain to stop the opposing team being able to run through?

Obviously there would be length considerations in terms of reaching from one side of the park to the other, but in theory, what Law would stop this?

 

[richard ramjane]

what would you do if a single player stopped an opposition player with his hands? same thing surely if a player ran at a 'chain' of defenders and is impeded ..... DFK and caution for USB

 

[OIREF!]

Alternatively, if you're 1-0 up with 5 minutes to go you could form a circle around an opponent with the ball and run down the clock!

 

[richard ramjane]

or give these to the keeper?

 

[Sheffields Finest]

 

[xPositor]

Alternatively, if you're 1-0 up with 5 minutes to go you could form a circle around an opponent with the ball and run down the clock!

I'm sure I've seen a video of just this - whether its a YouTube video or on a referee's course or on a coaching course - I don't recall, but definitely somewhere, at some point, this has passed my eyeballs.

If USB though, are you booking every single player that is in the chain? Could you argue PIADM?

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Impeding with contact - punishable with DFK. If reckless or excessive force is used, then take disciplinary action against the player who made contact with the opposition player. If you want to be preventative, then you could stop play and have a dropped ball.

 

[Peter Grove]

Or, if the player(s) pull up short of the line of opponents holding hands because they can see there's no way through, impeding without contact and IFK.

in theory, what Law would stop this?

Law 12.

 

[SLI39]

Yes, I thought impedance immediately when I saw this post. I have never had an example as blatant as this, of course, and in nearly eight years of youth football I've probably given an IFK for this 1-2 times and seen a couple more where it's borderline. I would be interested to see statistics for this offence in the Premier League; I imagine impedance is, at most, sanctioned a handful of times a season. I don't think I have ever watched a match in which the IFK was awarded, as officials tend to wait for contact and give the DFK.

 

[Peter Grove]

I don't think I have ever watched a match in which the IFK was awarded, as officials tend to wait for contact and give the DFK.

This.

 

[WilliamD]

Impeding with contact - punishable with DFK. If reckless or excessive force is used, then take disciplinary action against the player who made contact with the opposition player. If you want to be preventative, then you could stop play and have a dropped ball.

Can we really stop play because we think a foul might happen and restart with a dropped ball? Not arguing, genuinely didn't know that.