Penalties in Soccer

There are many penalties in soccer, some were created to make soccer more fun and some were created for the safety of the players.  Here are just a few; if a player kicks or attempts to kick an opponent, trips or attempts to trip an opponent, jumps at an opponent, charges an opponent, strikes or attempts to strike an opponent, pushes an opponent, tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball, holds an opponent, spits at an opponent, or purposefully grabs the ball with the players hands.  All of the penalties listed above have consequences of turning the ball over to the opposing team for a direct kick.  Penalties that would create a turn over and indirect kick are; if a player in the goalie position takes more than four steps while controlling the ball with his hands, before releasing it from his possession, touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player, touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate, touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate, or when a player on the field plays in a dangerous manner, delays the progress of an opponent, or prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands.

There are also more personal penalties called yellow cards and red cards.  If a player is disrespectful to other players or the referee, uses foul language, purposefully attempts to hurt another player, keeps a player from scoring my purposefully grabbing the ball, delays the game, or spits at another player, they will be given a yellow card.  If a player receives two yellow cards they are also given a red card.  A player that gets a yellow card has to exit the field for ten minutes while their team plays man down.  A player given a red card can no longer play in the game or the players next game, while their team plays man down.  Sportsmanship is a big part of soccer, without it a player could really hurt their team.