Sorry, I don't buy it. I have a hard time seeing how a trailing player tripping an opponent is just incidental contact. Defender was at a disadvantage. Defender's action overcame that disadvantage with contact that created an advantage. That is not incidental contact.
4-27 is the definition of incidental contact. Art 2 only talks about unintentional contact on a loose ball or when both players are in equally favorable positions. I don't see how chasing the offensive player puts both in equally favorable positions.
Art 5 is the clincher however.
Quote:
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If, however, a player approaches an opponent from behind or from a position from which he/she has no reasonable chance to play the ball without making contact with the opponent, the responsibility is on the player in the unfavorable position.
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Sorry, I gotta side with the Nate on this one. Lead did swallow his whistle on that call as it was explained.