When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

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Akiel
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When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by Akiel »

I have a couple of questions regarding rules in women's reserves game (South Australia):
Player from team A executes a foul tackle on player from team B from behind whilst contesting for the ball, resulting in player from team B being knocked to the ground.
Player from team A receives a yellow card.
About 5 minutes later, the same player from team B executes a deliberate collision on ANOTHER smaller player from team A as obvious payback.
Although the ball is at the feet of that player from team A, the focus of the player from team B is clearly and without doubt, entirely on the player.
This appears to be acknowledged by her own coach as she is soon thereafter relegated to the bench.
The tackle is a violent one (this is not an overstatement) and the victim is unable to recover quickly and appears dazed for about 10 minutes after the incident.
The referee however, administers a yellow card.
Q1: Should the referee have given the offender a red card?
Q2: At what point is a tackle that is clearly intended to cause harm (an assault), considered an offence that is punishable by law?

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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by God is an Englishman »

There is one vital question that needs to be answered before a decision can be made.

What was she doing so far away from the Toilet Seats?
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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by Mr Red »

Q1: Should the referee have given the offender a red card?

Its a matter of opinion based on yours possibly based on his/hers - no.

Q2: At what point is a tackle that is clearly intended to cause harm (an assault), considered an offence that is punishable by law?[/quote]

Again that is a matter of opinion in this case the judge will make the call. (if you want to go down that track.)

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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by Akiel »

Thank you.
I think many referees need to care a bit more about the possibility of serious injury.
Some are on top of it early and in those games, you'll see more skill and less aggression.
Many referees however, appear to be there simply to make themselves an extra dollar on the weekend and don't consider their role to be particularly important.
Furthermore, I think there is a perception amongst many that women are not capable of inflicting serious injury.
That's a dangerous mindset to take into women's soccer, especially given that players vary greatly in size (probably more-so than men).
In 13 years of watching my daughter play soccer, I've had her in hospital countless times and usually because she was targeted.
Twice she has been knocked unconscious.
She is small and fast and competitors are at times frustrated by their inability to keep up.
They then target the player, sometimes under direction from their coach.
So much for it being a "non-contact" sport.
You could argue that it's part of the game, but there are too many times when it is simply nothing more than sanctioned assault.
The last incident made me feel physically ill and gave me visions of cradling my dead daughter on the pitch.
I sometimes wonder if installing cameras at all the grounds, might discourage aggression and encourage a cleaner and more skilful game.
It is meant to be "the beautiful game", but it has become ugly.
I no longer enjoy watching the game and I am not the only parent who fears for their child's safety in soccer.
Will this issue ever be addressed?
One girl recently suffered a broken back.
It could just as easily have been a broken neck.

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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by Mr Red »

So much for it being a "non-contact" sport.

IMO Football is a contact sport its just probably less contact than some other sports ie AFL, Rugby ect.

Refs have an important part to play to help with player safety but they are not the only ones that have a role to help make players safe - ie players themselves, coaches, clubs and competition administration.

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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by God is an Englishman »

Akiel wrote:So much for it being a "non-contact" sport.
It's never been a non contact sport
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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by God is an Englishman »

Akiel wrote:and gave me visions of cradling my dead daughter on the pitch.
I've played the game for nearly 40 years and have never once seen anything even close to that.
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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by Akiel »

God is an Englishman wrote:
Akiel wrote:So much for it being a "non-contact" sport.
It's never been a non contact sport
It's "non-contact" as in, you target the ball and not the player.
Ramming, shirt-fronting and tackling players to the ground are permitted in rugby, Australian rules etc., not soccer.

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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by Akiel »

God is an Englishman wrote:
Akiel wrote:and gave me visions of cradling my dead daughter on the pitch.
I've played the game for nearly 40 years and have never once seen anything even close to that.
Are you talking men's soccer or women's?
Have you ever seen someone knocked unconscious in soccer?
If so, haven't you noticed that it bears a momentary resemblance to death..?!!
Imagine that then, from a parent's perspective.
If you have never seen anything close to that in 40 years of playing the game, you're clearly most fortunate.

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Re: When Does A Tackle Become An Offence By Law?

Post by God is an Englishman »

Akiel wrote:
God is an Englishman wrote:
Akiel wrote:and gave me visions of cradling my dead daughter on the pitch.
I've played the game for nearly 40 years and have never once seen anything even close to that.
Are you talking men's soccer or women's?
Have you ever seen someone knocked unconscious in soccer?
If so, haven't you noticed that it bears a momentary resemblance to death..?!!
Imagine that then, from a parent's perspective.
If you have never seen anything close to that in 40 years of playing the game, you're clearly most fortunate.
There is no difference in the laws of the game between men and football.

Yes I have seen someone knocked unconscious including my own son, never once did I have visions of him dead though.
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