Was it a bite or a spit, or a hand or arm to the head or face?
Every question in this scenario
The Foul investigation scenario asks 24 questions and can reach 30 decisions. A walk answers only the ones its own answers lead to. This is the whole set, for reference and for revision.
1Was it a bite or a spit, or a hand or arm to the head or face?
Neither covers everything else, a tackle, trip, push, hold or kick, for the ball or not. How it was made comes next, and violent conduct is decided there.
Answers: A bite, or spitting at an opponent · Deliberate hand or arm to the head or face, not for the ball · Neither of these
2Where did it happen, and was the ball in play?
Direct free kicks and penalty kicks are only awarded for offences committed while the ball is in play. With the ball out of play the card stands and the restart does not change.
Answers: Inside the offender's own penalty area, ball in play · Outside it, ball in play · The ball was out of play · Off the field in play, nearest boundary point inside
3Was the force negligible?
Negligible means it can be disregarded. The Law makes this the whole of the question: above the line it is a sending-off, below it there is no violent conduct to punish.
Answers: Yes · No
4How was the challenge made?
Pick the most serious that applies. Whether it denied a chance or stopped an attack is the next question.
Answers: The opponent's safety endangered, or excessive force · Reckless: disregard for the danger to the opponent · Blatant holding, with no attempt to play the ball · Careless contact, a hold, or impeding with contact · None of these: a fair challenge, or normal contact · No contact: dangerous play, or blocking a path
5Was it a tackle or challenge for the ball?
A lunge for the ball that misses it still counts. A kick, a stamp, an elbow or a push at a player with no attempt at the ball does not.
Answers: Yes · No
6Where did the offence happen?
The line is part of the area it encloses, and an offence off the field as part of play is punished on the nearest boundary point.
Answers: Inside the offender's own penalty area, or on its line · Off the field in play, nearest boundary point inside · Outside the offender's own penalty area
7What did the offence cost the opponents?
An obvious chance weighs distance to goal, direction of play, keeping or gaining control, and where the defenders and attackers were. A promising attack is less than that.
Answers: It denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity · It stopped or interfered with a promising attack · Neither of these · Nothing: the ball was out of play
8Did the referee play the advantage rather than stop play?
Law 12 changes the card for a denied chance where advantage was played. Answer no if play was stopped.
Answers: Yes · No
9Where did the offence happen?
The line is part of the area it encloses, and an offence off the field as part of play is punished on the nearest boundary point.
Answers: Inside the offender's own penalty area, or on its line · Off the field in play, nearest boundary point inside · Outside the offender's own penalty area
10Was the offence an attempt to play the ball, or a challenge for the ball?
A defender who mistimes a real tackle and misses the ball still qualifies. Holding, pulling or pushing does not.
Answers: Yes · No
11Where did the offence happen?
The line is part of the area it encloses, and an offence off the field as part of play is punished on the nearest boundary point.
Answers: Inside the offender's own penalty area, or on its line · Off the field in play, nearest boundary point inside · Outside the offender's own penalty area
12What did the offence cost the opponents?
An obvious chance weighs distance to goal, direction of play, keeping or gaining control, and where the defenders and attackers were. A promising attack is less than that.
Answers: It denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity · It stopped or interfered with a promising attack · Neither of these · Nothing: the ball was out of play
13Did the referee play the advantage rather than stop play?
Law 12 changes the card for a denied chance where advantage was played. Answer no if play was stopped.
Answers: Yes · No
14Where did the offence happen?
The line is part of the area it encloses, and an offence off the field as part of play is punished on the nearest boundary point.
Answers: Inside the offender's own penalty area, or on its line · Off the field in play, nearest boundary point inside · Outside the offender's own penalty area
15Where did the offence happen?
The line is part of the area it encloses, and an offence off the field as part of play is punished on the nearest boundary point.
Answers: Inside the offender's own penalty area, or on its line · Off the field in play, nearest boundary point inside · Outside the offender's own penalty area
16What did the offence cost the opponents?
An obvious chance weighs distance to goal, direction of play, keeping or gaining control, and where the defenders and attackers were. A promising attack is less than that.
Answers: It denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity · It stopped or interfered with a promising attack · Neither of these · Nothing: the ball was out of play
17Did the referee play the advantage rather than stop play?
Law 12 changes the card where advantage was played, and it changes it differently for these two offences. Answer no if play was stopped.
Answers: Yes · No
18Did the non-offending team score from the advantage?
A goal that comes from the advantage removes the sanction entirely. Anything short of one leaves a caution in place of the sending-off.
Answers: Yes · No
19Did the referee play the advantage rather than stop play?
Law 12 changes the card where advantage was played, and it changes it differently for these two offences. Answer no if play was stopped.
Answers: Yes · No
20Where did the offence happen?
The line is part of the area it encloses, and an offence off the field as part of play is punished on the nearest boundary point.
Answers: Inside the offender's own penalty area, or on its line · Off the field in play, nearest boundary point inside · Outside the offender's own penalty area
21Was the offence an attempt to play the ball, or a challenge for the ball?
Where the penalty is awarded for an attempt at the ball, the penalty is the whole sanction and no card is shown.
Answers: Yes · No
22Where did the offence happen?
The line is part of the area it encloses, and an offence off the field as part of play is punished on the nearest boundary point.
Answers: Inside the offender's own penalty area, or on its line · The hold started outside and continued inside · Off the field in play, nearest boundary point inside · Outside the offender's own penalty area
23Did the player exaggerate it to make the referee think they were fouled?
A caution for deceiving the referee does not need the contact to be invented. Exaggerating contact that really happened is the same offence.
Answers: Yes · No
24What is the offence being claimed as a penalty?
A penalty is a direct free kick offence inside the area. Every one of them is graded here except handball, which has its own walk.
Answers: Contact with an opponent, or a hold · The ball struck a hand or arm
Every decision it can reach
Each one is where a walk ends, with the reasoning it prints. The clause behind a decision is cited on the decision itself, which you reach by walking to it.
Penalty kick + red card: violent conduct
The player is sent off for violent conduct. Because the offence was physical, committed against an opponent inside the field of play, and inside the offender's own penalty area, the restart is a penalty kick. Off the field in play it is a penalty kick where the nearest boundary point is within the offender's penalty area. Violent conduct being off the ball does not remove the penalty. Where the act was biting or spitting, Law 12 prints that as its own sending-off offence rather than as violent conduct, and the restart is the same.
Direct free kick + red card: violent conduct
The player is sent off for violent conduct. The offence happened outside the offender's own penalty area, so the restart is a direct free kick where the offence occurred. Where the act was biting or spitting, Law 12 prints that as its own sending-off offence rather than as violent conduct, and the restart is the same.
Red card, and play restarts according to the previous decision
The player is sent off for violent conduct. The restart is the part that changes: Law 12 opens its restart section by saying that if the ball is out of play, play is restarted according to the previous decision, and direct free kicks and penalty kicks are only awarded for offences committed while the ball is in play. So a strike during a stoppage gives no free kick at all. Whatever restart the stoppage was already heading for, a throw-in, a corner, a goal kick or a free kick to either side, is the restart, and the sending-off is issued alongside it.
No red card: the force was negligible
Law 12 makes the deliberate strike on the head or face with the hand or arm violent conduct unless the force used was negligible, and negligible is the whole of the exception: it is not a lesser degree of violent conduct, it is not violent conduct at all, so there is no sending-off. What is left is an act off the ball with no force behind it, and the strike itself carries no mandated card. A caution for unsporting behaviour remains available where the referee judges the act deserves one, and Ruleside will not tell you it is required, because the Law does not. The restart follows the act rather than the card: a direct free kick, or a penalty kick if it was inside the offender's own penalty area or off the field with the nearest boundary point inside it, and the previous decision if the ball was out of play. What the strike cost is judged on its own. A free kick offence that denies a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards goal is a sending-off, and one that interferes with or stops a promising attack is a caution; neither exception for an attempt to play the ball can reach a strike made when not challenging for it. Where advantage was played there is no free kick, the denial is a caution, or carries no sanction where a goal came of it, and the promising attack is not cautioned.
Penalty kick + red card: serious foul play
The challenge endangered the safety of the opponent or used excessive force or brutality, inside the offender's own penalty area. The player is sent off for serious foul play and a penalty kick is awarded.
Direct free kick + red card: serious foul play
The challenge endangered the safety of the opponent or used excessive force or brutality, outside the offender's own penalty area. The player is sent off for serious foul play and a direct free kick is awarded where the offence occurred.
Yellow card, not red: advantage was played on a reckless challenge
Where advantage is played for an offence that denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, Law 12 cautions the player instead of sending them off, and removes the sanction for the denial entirely where the advantage produces a goal. Ruleside reads neither half as reaching the challenge itself. A reckless challenge must be cautioned, and a caution owed when advantage is played is issued when the ball is next out of play, so a caution is what is left whether or not a goal came of it. There is no free kick, because play was allowed to continue.
Penalty kick + yellow card: denied a goal-scoring opportunity, attempt at the ball
The offence denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity inside the offender's own penalty area and a penalty kick was awarded. Because the offence was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball, the offender is cautioned rather than sent off.
Penalty kick + red card: denied a goal-scoring opportunity, no attempt at the ball
The offence denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity inside the offender's own penalty area and a penalty kick was awarded. The offence was not an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball, for example holding, pulling, pushing, or having no possibility to play the ball, so the offender is sent off.
Direct free kick + red card: denied a goal-scoring opportunity
A player denied a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent whose overall movement was towards the offender's goal, by an offence punishable by a free kick, outside their own penalty area. The downgrade to a caution applies only where a penalty kick is awarded, so it does not apply here.
Penalty kick + yellow card: reckless challenge
A reckless challenge inside the offender's own penalty area. The player acted with disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, an opponent, so a caution follows, and the restart is a penalty kick.
Direct free kick + yellow card: reckless challenge
A reckless challenge outside the offender's own penalty area. The player acted with disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, an opponent, so a caution follows, and a direct free kick is awarded where the offence occurred.
Yellow card, and play restarts according to the previous decision
A direct free kick offence committed in a reckless manner must be cautioned, and the ball being out of play does not change that. It does change the restart: direct and indirect free kicks and penalty kicks can only be awarded for offences committed when the ball is in play, so play restarts according to the previous decision, whether that was a throw-in, a corner, a goal kick or a free kick to either side. It is not violent conduct, which needs excessive force or brutality.
Yellow card, not red: advantage was played on a blatant hold
Where advantage is played for an offence that denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, Law 12 cautions the player instead of sending them off, and removes the sanction for the denial entirely where the advantage produces a goal. Ruleside reads neither half as reaching the hold itself. Showing a lack of respect for the game is a caution for unsporting behaviour and the Law prints no test for it; Ruleside takes a blatant hold with no attempt to play the ball as the ordinary example. A caution owed when advantage is played is issued when the ball is next out of play, so a caution is what is left whether or not a goal came of it. There is no free kick, because play was allowed to continue.
Penalty kick + yellow card: showing a lack of respect for the game
Showing a lack of respect for the game sits in Law 12's list of circumstances in which a player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour, and the Law prints no test for it. Ruleside uses it for an act that is plainly unacceptable without being one of the named circumstances, and takes a blatant holding with no attempt to play the ball as the ordinary example: on that reading it is a caution wherever on the field it happens and whatever the attack was doing, which is what separates it from stopping a promising attack. The offence itself is still the careless one, so the restart is a penalty kick, because it happened inside the offender's own penalty area.
Direct free kick + yellow card: showing a lack of respect for the game
Showing a lack of respect for the game sits in Law 12's list of circumstances in which a player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour, and the Law prints no test for it. Ruleside uses it for an act that is plainly unacceptable without being one of the named circumstances, and takes a blatant holding with no attempt to play the ball as the ordinary example: on that reading it is a caution wherever on the field it happens and whatever the attack was doing, which is what separates it from stopping a promising attack. The offence itself is still the careless one, so the restart is a direct free kick where the offence occurred.
Yellow card for a lack of respect, and play restarts according to the previous decision
Showing a lack of respect for the game sits in Law 12's list of circumstances in which a player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour, and the Law prints no test for it; Ruleside takes a blatant hold with no attempt to play the ball as the ordinary example. With the ball out of play the caution stands and the restart is the previous decision, because free kicks and penalty kicks can only be awarded for offences committed when the ball is in play.
Goal, and no sanction at all
Law 12 takes the sending-off away in two steps and this walk has taken both. Where advantage is played for an offence that denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour rather than sent off, except where a goal is scored by the non-offending team as a result of the advantage having been played, in which case there is no disciplinary sanction. The team that was fouled has the goal it was denied, so nothing is owed for the denial. Ruleside reads anything else the challenge was in its own right as still standing, reckless a caution and excessive force a sending-off, since Law 12 does not say whether its exception reaches those.
Yellow card, not red: advantage was played and no goal came of it
Where the referee plays the advantage for an offence that denied the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour instead of being sent off. The caution is shown when the ball is next out of play, as any card owed after an advantage is. Had the advantage produced a goal there would be no sanction at all; here it did not, so the downgrade stops at yellow. There is no free kick, because play was allowed to continue.
Play on, and no caution: advantage cancels this one
The ordinary rule is that a card owed when advantage is played is shown when the ball is next out of play. Law 12 then writes two exceptions into the same sentence, and the second is this one: if the offence was interfering with or stopping a promising attack, the player is not cautioned. Not deferred, not shown later, not given at all. So where the referee let the attack run rather than stopping it, the promising-attack caution goes with the stoppage that never happened, and there is no restart either. Ruleside reads anything else about the challenge as judged on its own: a reckless one still a caution and one made with excessive force still a sending-off, shown when the ball is next out of play.
Penalty kick, no card: promising attack stopped by an attempt at the ball
The offence interfered with or stopped a promising attack inside the offender's own penalty area, but it was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball. The caution for stopping a promising attack is expressly excluded in that case, so a penalty kick is awarded and no card is shown.
Penalty kick + yellow card: stopped a promising attack
The offence interfered with or stopped a promising attack inside the offender's own penalty area, and it was not an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball. A penalty kick is awarded and the offender is cautioned.
Direct free kick + yellow card: stopped a promising attack
The offence interfered with or stopped a promising attack outside the offender's own penalty area. The offender is cautioned and a direct free kick is awarded where the offence occurred. The exception for an attempt to play the ball applies only where a penalty kick is awarded.
Penalty kick, no card: careless foul
A careless foul inside the offender's own penalty area. Careless means a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge, or acting without precaution. No disciplinary sanction is needed, but a penalty kick is still awarded.
Direct free kick, no card: careless foul
A careless foul outside the offender's own penalty area. Careless means a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge, or acting without precaution. No disciplinary sanction is needed and a direct free kick is awarded.
No free kick and no card: the ball was out of play
Direct and indirect free kicks and penalty kicks can only be awarded for offences committed when the ball is in play, and with the ball out of play the restart is the previous decision, whatever happened in the meantime. So the offence is answered by a card or by nothing, and careless carries no disciplinary sanction. It is not violent conduct either, which needs excessive force or brutality.
Yellow card: simulation
A player who attempts to deceive the referee, for example by feigning injury or pretending to have been fouled, is cautioned for unsporting behaviour. There is no foul to punish, so no direct free kick or penalty kick follows. The restart is an indirect free kick where the offence occurred. Simulation is not one of Law 12's direct free kick offences, and it is not on its indirect list by name either; it reaches the indirect free kick through the catch-all for any other offence for which play is stopped to caution a player.
No offence: play on
No foul occurred and play continues. Contact alone is not an offence. A direct free kick follows only where a listed offence is committed in a manner the referee considers careless, reckless, or using excessive force.
With no contact it is an indirect free kick offence, decided on another walk
The careless, reckless and excessive force ladder is Law 12's direct free kick list. Playing in a dangerous manner and impeding the progress of an opponent without any contact being made are on its indirect free kick list instead, and an offence that involves contact is penalised by a direct free kick. So a high foot that never connects, or a player who moves into an opponent's path without touching them, is decided on the off-the-ball walk, which asks those questions and where the kick is taken from.
Continues in the off the ball scenario.
A handball penalty is the handball test, taken inside the area
Handball is one of the direct free kick offences, so inside the offender's own penalty area it is a penalty kick on the same clause as a trip or a hold. What it is not is a shorter test: whether the touch was an offence at all turns on the arm's position and the player's own movement, which is the handball walk rather than anything this tree can ask. It hands over rather than asking a shorter version of it.
Continues in the handball scenario.