A&H

Is screaming an indirect free kick?

Louiecliff

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Level 7 Referee
Hi,
I was wondering if screaming at another player when challenging for the ball to gain an advantage is an indirect free kick for impediment?
 
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There are some great myths about verbal IFK offenses. Most notable "have to put a name on it." As @RustyRef said, the only basis for stopping play at all would be to caution. The caution would be for unsporting behavior. So you have to judge the game and the conduct to decide if it deserves the caution (and the IFK that comes with it), or a warning.
 
Yes, but you can only penalise it if you caution as that is what you are stopping the game for.
the only basis for stopping play at all would be to caution. The caution would be for unsporting behavior. So you have to judge the game and the conduct to decide if it deserves the caution (and the IFK that comes with it),

That used to be the case a few years ago but the law now includes "verbal offences" as an indirect free kick offence. So technically the IFK is not for the default restart after a caution, but for the offence itself.

However the offence attracts both an IFK and a caution. Which means the point of caution and IFK going hand in hand still stands (if it does not attract a caution then it is not an offence so no IFK either).
 
That used to be the case a few years ago but the law now includes "verbal offences" as an indirect free kick offence. So technically the IFK is not for the default restart after a caution, but for the offence itself.

However the offence attracts both an IFK and a caution. Which means the point of caution and IFK going hand in hand still stands (if it does not attract a caution then it is not an offence so no IFK either).

I think you're over-reading that, but again, gotta love how IFAB drafts. This language was added to clarify the language about DFKs for misconduct, as the original DFK language lead some to think that dissent would result in a DFK. In any event, the reason for stopping play is the USB behavior and the caution. There is no separate verbal offense that can result in just an IFK. So it's all about semantics, and IFAB makes that messier and messier each year.
 
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I think you're over-reading that, but again, gotta love how IFAB drafts. This language was added to clarify the language about DFKs for misconduct, as the original DFK language lead some to think that dissent would result in a DFK. In any event, the reason for stopping play is the USB behavior and the caution. There is no separate verbal offense that can result in just an IFK. So it's all about semantics, and IFAB makes that messier and messier each year.
Agree and disagree. While that was part of the reason it wasn't all of it. Can I say I think you are under-reading it? :)

The complete phrase: "is guilty of dissent, using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures or other verbal offences"

There would be no reason to add "or other verbal offence" if the reason you stated was the only one. So for me you (now) stop play because there was an IFK offence which is also a cautionable one.

As an analogy, if there is a reckless trip, the reason to stop play is not the USB, it's the trip offence which in this instance is also a cautionable one.
 
Agree and disagree. While that was part of the reason it wasn't all of it. Can I say I think you are under-reading it? :)

The complete phrase: "is guilty of dissent, using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures or other verbal offences"

There would be no reason to add "or other verbal offence" if the reason you stated was the only one. So for me you (now) stop play because there was an IFK offence which is also a cautionable one.

As an analogy, if there is a reckless trip, the reason to stop play is not the USB, it's the trip offence which in this instance is also a cautionable one.

We get to the same game result, either way, so it ultimately doesn't matter. But "other verbal offenses" doesn't create anything, it recognizes that there are such things--like the USB cautionable offenses such as we are discussing. (If IFAB would just hire a quality editor we'd save so much time . . . .)
 
Agree and disagree. While that was part of the reason it wasn't all of it. Can I say I think you are under-reading it? :)

The complete phrase: "is guilty of dissent, using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures or other verbal offences"

There would be no reason to add "or other verbal offence" if the reason you stated was the only one. So for me you (now) stop play because there was an IFK offence which is also a cautionable one.

As an analogy, if there is a reckless trip, the reason to stop play is not the USB, it's the trip offence which in this instance is also a cautionable one.

Due to the placement of the commas I kind of take that whole sentence as all being related to the act of dissent. Whereas the verbal distraction part of law relates to distracting an opponent. Agree that it isn't too well written but the same outcome either way.
 
Hi,
I was wondering if screaming at another player when challenging for the ball to gain an advantage is an indirect free kick for impediment?
Just to mention that the actual offence here, as no-one has actually named it and the discussion has gone off at a bit of a tangent since, is nothing to do with impediment, which is not an offence (did you mean impeding?) but rather, is the offence specified in the law, where a player:
verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart

This offence is included in the list of those for which, "a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour..." and which, as others have said, is also punishable by an indirect free kick.
 
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