Question Number: 12345

Law 13 - Free Kicks 3/12/2006

RE: classic Adult

scott keeter of wilson, nc usa asks...

can a player be in the penalty area on a direct or indirect kick

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

A player can be in the penalty area if they are defenders in their own penalty area (PA) when a kick is being taken from the PA. Opponents must retreat outside the PA. The ball is not in play until it wholly crossed the line which marks the PA. Which means that even though the defenders are in th PA, they can't play the ball until it completely leaves the PA.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Scott,

Defender's free kicks inside their own PENALTY AREA

If the free kick is a DFK or an INDFK in favour of the defenders all attackers are required to exit the penalty area = (PA) as well as retreat the manditory 10 yards, the same as in a GOAL KICK!. The ball MUST leave the confines of the PA boundrylines before ANY player of either team can play it!

There is a special circumstance in law 8 that allows for ANY freekick DFK or INDFK in favour of the DEFENDER'S inside their own goal area to be taken from any point within that area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATTACKERS free kicks inside the DEFENDER"S PENALTY AREA

If it is a DFK for the attackers it is in law a penalty kick = (PK ) As you know only the defending keeper and the PK kicker are allowed inside the PA. ALL other players from both teams are outside the PA and 10 yards away from the restart with no offside possible.

For an attacking INDFK there are no restrictions as to who or how many players of either team cram themselves within the 18 yard PA!

There are two restrictions that are different as opposed to regular law. In law 8 special circumstances any INDFK offence that occurs inside the 6 yard goal area is always brought back to the outermost edge of that goal area paralleling the goalline. Thus no attacking INDFK restart can EVER be closer than 6 yards to the goalline.

Now for a real unusual bent the 10 yard MANDITORY free kick distance the opponents must withdraw to is altered in that for ANY indfk by the attackers that is between 10 yards and 6 yards away from the goalline the DEFENDERS may stand ON the goaline in between the posts and under the crossbar along side the keeper.

Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 12094

See Question: 21108