Question Number: 14852

Law 18 - Common Sense 2/16/2007

RE: Competitive High School

Tony Messina of Kingsport, TN 37660 asks...

This question is a follow up to question 14821

I just wish Referees Contarino and Dawson would go ahead and speak their minds....not hold back so much! Hah!

I rationalized this as the team abdicating their right to the kick...just as on a foul throw where possession does change without the ball being put back into play. I think that is what referee Fleischer is saying. But a throw in just really does not matter that much....a PK and the potential for a goal is a much, much bigger deal. I think Contarino said it best.

While we are ranting about PK's, I think the NFHS rule about the kicker not being able to "interrupt his movement" is a better law than FIFA also....perhaps should be stated as maintaining forward motion or something like that. I wish we had a little more guidance on what constitutes "feigning" a kick.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hey Tony. By any chance you go to Dobbins Bennet High School? I think I spelled that right. What goes through the minds of the powers that be often stumps me. IFAB has spent a lot of needless effort the past few years tinkering with stuff that doesn't need to be fixed. So what is athe kicker heels it backwards? Tell him not to do that agin and move on but to deny the team a shot at a PK for such a trivial offence seems idiotic to me. Thanks for kind words and I agree, some guidance on feinting would be nice

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Tony,
yes we do get to sound off now and then! ;o)

Ok your assertion that and I
quote
' just as on a foul throw where possession does change without the ball being put back into play!"
end quote
Only in USA highschool is that possible!

In a recent discussion with many top National and FIFA officials I disputed the foul throw and ball in play theory as being exactly what you stated that the Misconduct of the act BEFORE a restart has actually put the ball in play!
If a throw in does NOT have the ball break the plane of the boundary lines along the touchline the claim is it must be retaken.

Yet if we read the laws and extrapolate the wording

Any incorrect procedure has ALREADY occurred if it is an incorrectly taken throw so why does the ball entering the FOP factor into the procedure on how it was to be done???

Why if the area the throw in originates is incorrect or the procedures are wrong can we retake?

from the point where it crossed the touch line;
my version lets say it was 5 yards away

At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower:
faces the field of play;
my version lets say he is facing the stands
has part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground outside the touch line
my version lets say he is four feet away
uses both hands
my version uses one hand to lob it
delivers the ball from behind and over his head
my version throws it sideways

The ball is in play immediately after it enters the field of play.
my version The ball never enters the field of play

For any other infringement of this Law:

the throw-in is taken by a player of the opposing team

my version we awards to the opposition regardless if the ball enters the FOP as we must if the ball did enter the FOP!

You can not say a back heel at a pk where a ball must go forward is any different. For all intents the ball is NEVER in play when the misconduct occurs!
PK procedure
The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward. If kicked is the start and the fact the procedure is wrong is why we award iNDFK how different is that from an incorrectly taken throwin that is also not in play?

Note this FIFA Q&A from law 15 and look closely at the inclusion of the word CORRECTLY? What purpose does it serve???

2. A player takes a throw-in correctly. The ball does not enter the fi eld of play but remains outside the touch line. What action does the referee take?
The throw-in is retaken.

Even in the last two quotes below it stipulates what must occur regardless of our thoughts on the matter

4. Is there a maximum distance away from the touch line from which a throw-in may be taken?
No. A throw-in should be taken from the place where the ball left the
fi eld of play.

6. After an incorrectly taken throw-in, the ball goes directly to an opponent. Is play allowed to continue by applying the advantage clause?
No. A player of the opposing team retakes the throw-in.

My point is an incorrectly taken throw in only possible if the ball makes its way over the boundary lines? according to those I have issue with.
Yet if a correctly taken throw in following the procedures and at the right point along the touchlines can be retaken why should a throw in that follows none of the procedures be awarded the same degree of latitude? I was told it is historically ingrained the ball must first be in play in order to lose posession of it, seems someone is not happy with that thought if the pk back heel is any indication!
Cheers