Serious Foul Play or not?

[matty639]

Technically distance can be considered irrelevant as if your playing in a dangerous manner your playing dangerous, it just happens that the two kind of go hand in hand. If a player was running around and spinning his arms out stretched you would stop play before he actually hit anyone. But these are extreme examples hardly likely to happen.

I find that if handled correct as it was in this instance given the reaction of other players you can prevent anything bad actually happening by jumping before it does.

 

[Martiju]

Nice diagrams by the way!

For me, I'd be looking at the speed and direction of the nearest blue defender(s). If they've had to slow, stop or change direction to avoid the challenge it's definitely playing in a dangerous manner. IDFK and, from your description of the lunge, certain yellow. That's because there was a high risk of harm/safety which was only avoided through evasive action.

If the defenders were just too far away for that to be an issue, I might consider IDFK but, to be honest, I'm more likely to go for a public word with the captain present (especially given the response from opponents and any other issues with that player) to let them all know that I saw it but that, in this case, there was no immediate danger. I would also be keeping an eye on his next few tackles in particular, as well as those on him by the opposition!

As others have said, a player can in theory do handstands, etc. without any sanction - unless their behaviour is or becomes unsporting, dangerous, etc.