Let's say Red/Blue #8 landed the elbow to open the cut on White #5, and the referee is dealing with it. Based on the conduct from White #5, is there a call here?
Peter, I believe that's easily a Red Card (VC in this case) contact to the face (or AL if you think so after refering to my comments below). The rest goes into the referee report for the league or event organizers. Similar when a player cups a player's head with his hand behind another player's head or when they pat a player's face.
I am unsure if you can consider THIS incident "AL" but the assumed intent when a player touches an opponents face or head is to belittle or demean the player, at a minimum. Here we have blood too so more is at stake.
I would caution to use LAW-18 in these situations were you can in a local match (or any for that matter), as the players may also be best buds or old friends and a sign of affection as well.
I don't know if that stimulates any conversation or what you were requesting. What other options might we have?
Either way, putting your blood on someone is no different ultimately than spitting on someone; you are placing a bloodily fluid that could carry disease intentionally upon another person. Because of this, regardless of the buildup, he's got to be sent.
As for the reasoning, you would have to put it under VC, wouldn't you? I mean, none of the other 6 send-off categories really fit, do they?
Anonymous makes good points here. The laws of the game do not allow a bleeding player to play. This means FIFA does not want blood on the pitch. That said (and not knowing the reasons why the law way made) I will assume that it is stirctly 100% player safety, and not just for the injured player. It is seen at the professional level in other sports where bleeding must be stopped or covered before the player may return. Blood like saliva is a bodily fluid that can transmit disease. For this reason I feel they are one in the same and should fall under the same punishment. This act in no way considers the safety of the player and is clearly done intentionally. A send off is the proper remedy for such an action. Had this been flicking of water or a liquid from a bottle then possibly you can agrue its just UB and issue a YC but that is more in the forum of opinion.
Great comments Steve. To play devil's advocate for just a second, what about sweat? Equally possible to transmit some substances that blood can. Many actually.
Sweat is a very open debate. Just think of all of the manners in which sweat can be moved. If you go there then it comes to where do you start to draw the line. A player has long hair and in the 90th minute after playing a whole match gives a shake to wipe off and and hits a player. Diving on tackles is a big enough problem just imagine players trying to "buy" calls of sweat touching them. If you go this way I think its simple to lump everything into one and write the law in include "any type of liquid or bodily fluid intentionally thrown, spat, or projected at another player" Get rid of as much of the grey area as possible.
Why is blood more special than sweat? Why does a player uniform need not be cleaned if they accidentally put saliva on their jersey (accidentally spit on themselves).
Peter, I believe that's easily a Red Card (VC in this case) contact to the face (or AL if you think so after refering to my comments below). The rest goes into the referee report for the league or event organizers. Similar when a player cups a player's head with his hand behind another player's head or when they pat a player's face.
ReplyDeleteI am unsure if you can consider THIS incident "AL" but the assumed intent when a player touches an opponents face or head is to belittle or demean the player, at a minimum. Here we have blood too so more is at stake.
I would caution to use LAW-18 in these situations were you can in a local match (or any for that matter), as the players may also be best buds or old friends and a sign of affection as well.
I don't know if that stimulates any conversation or what you were requesting. What other options might we have?
Anon,
ReplyDeleteYou were mostly on my pulse. Let's change the facts just slightly.
Let's say White #5 does not strike the opponent, but just flicks his blood onto him.
Same result?
Thanks for reading.
PK
Either way, putting your blood on someone is no different ultimately than spitting on someone; you are placing a bloodily fluid that could carry disease intentionally upon another person. Because of this, regardless of the buildup, he's got to be sent.
ReplyDeleteAs for the reasoning, you would have to put it under VC, wouldn't you? I mean, none of the other 6 send-off categories really fit, do they?
Now you are exactly where I wanted to go.
DeleteI love your train of thought on it ... lets see who else jumps in and if they agree.
PK
Anonymous makes good points here. The laws of the game do not allow a bleeding player to play. This means FIFA does not want blood on the pitch. That said (and not knowing the reasons why the law way made) I will assume that it is stirctly 100% player safety, and not just for the injured player. It is seen at the professional level in other sports where bleeding must be stopped or covered before the player may return. Blood like saliva is a bodily fluid that can transmit disease. For this reason I feel they are one in the same and should fall under the same punishment. This act in no way considers the safety of the player and is clearly done intentionally. A send off is the proper remedy for such an action. Had this been flicking of water or a liquid from a bottle then possibly you can agrue its just UB and issue a YC but that is more in the forum of opinion.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments Steve. To play devil's advocate for just a second, what about sweat? Equally possible to transmit some substances that blood can. Many actually.
DeleteIs that one a send off too?
Good comments!
PK
Sweat is a very open debate. Just think of all of the manners in which sweat can be moved. If you go there then it comes to where do you start to draw the line. A player has long hair and in the 90th minute after playing a whole match gives a shake to wipe off and and hits a player. Diving on tackles is a big enough problem just imagine players trying to "buy" calls of sweat touching them. If you go this way I think its simple to lump everything into one and write the law in include "any type of liquid or bodily fluid intentionally thrown, spat, or projected at another player" Get rid of as much of the grey area as possible.
ReplyDeleteGood comment Steve, and I agree with yours.
ReplyDeleteWhy is blood more special than sweat? Why does a player uniform need not be cleaned if they accidentally put saliva on their jersey (accidentally spit on themselves).
Is it the fluid, the action, or both?
PK