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Law 12

Law 12 — Fouls and Misconduct

The longest Law and the one that carries the most weight in any exam. This is where all disciplinary power lives: what is a foul, what is a caution, what is a sending-off and when DOGSO applies.

Direct free kick

Awarded if a player commits, in a careless, reckless or excessively forceful manner: charging, jumping at, kicking, pushing, striking, tackling or tripping. Also for holding, impeding with contact, biting, spitting or throwing an object.

Deliberate handball

It is an offence if a player deliberately touches the ball with the hand/arm, makes their body unnaturally bigger, or scores with the hand (even accidentally). The boundary of the arm is defined as the bottom of the armpit.

Indirect free kick

Playing dangerously, impeding without contact, preventing the goalkeeper releasing the ball, and goalkeeper offences: handling after a deliberate pass from a team-mate, handling from a team-mate's throw-in, or controlling the ball for more than six seconds.

DOGSO

Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity is punished by sending off. But if the offence is an attempt to play the ball inside the penalty area, the sanction is reduced to a caution (the 'triple punishment' no longer applies).

Caution (yellow card)

Unsporting behaviour, dissent by word or action, persistent offences, delaying the restart, failing to respect the required distance, entering or leaving without permission.

Sending off (red card)

Serious foul play, violent conduct, biting or spitting, DOGSO by handball, DOGSO outside the area, offensive language, and receiving a second caution.

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