Question Number: 14675

Character, Attitude and Control 1/6/2007

Learner of Memphis, USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 14659

Since two of answers say that the ball did not hit the ground. I got a little bit confused. Assume it was a legal drop ball, first, ball hits the ground and then player starts playing. So, should I call the dropball back in that situation by saying it was not OK or should I let it go and talk to the player who said he/she will give the ball to the team B afterwards?

For the throw-in situation, what you have suggested is very applicable.

Thank you very much for the answers.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Remember these things we speak of are in the realm of "making things up as we go along". They are not the things assessors will laud you for using, quite the opposite. Fooling parents and coaches is loads easier than being caught out ignoring the Law just to make things right.

We all, from time to time, fall back to the "That just ain't right" mode of operation and put things right. It feels good and everyone present buys into it -- these times just happen and usually only once. It's the referee's experience that tells him what to do at the time and his field presence sells the decision. Using someone elses trick that worked for him, that time, might not work for you and will leave you worse off that not doing it in the first place.

Each referee has a "Bag of Tricks" he takes with him to every match. Sometimes a trick, way at the bottom, is pulled out and used, most are not used again. The whole idea is it's there, if it works GREAT, if not don't use it again. We offer these "Little Tricks", proven to have worked once, as food for thought. The reader is allowed to think up his own "Little Tricks" or to remember ours.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Mr. Fleischer is right. This is something you as a referee are going to have to decide what to do. We referees all have a different bag of tricks that we use for various situations. No 2 referees have the same bag and we all handle things a little differently. Also, no 2 games are the same and what works for 1 game does not necessarily work for another game. We should always follow the Laws of the Game.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Please remember that what we discuss here is sometimes inapplicable under the Law but demanded by us to preserve the Spirit. If the drop ball hits the ground and the player that said he would play it back to the opponents does not do so, you CANNOT, stop the game and have a word with him as you've basically told him the drop was properly carried out AND now you've created a situation where you have to give another drop ball so now what do you do? This is why, since I developed enough knowledge, whenever there's a drop I feel strongly should go to one team, I quickly drop it to that team. By doing that I am grounded within Law and Spirit. If I allow the drop and the player lies, I am then forced to SAY the ball never hit the ground even when it did. This is not "legal" on my part but one of the nice things about being the referee is that it's my "opinion" that counts and no one can argue with it. Hence, that's why I'd have called a foul throw as there's no way I can control that. I can, however, control every dropped ball.