Question Number: 14877

Mechanics 2/21/2007

RE: Amateur Adult

Ruairi Hatchell of Tokyo, Japan asks...

This question is a follow up to question 14367

At a free kick around the penalty area, can the defending team request the referee to whistle for the restart to occur?
Or can the request for referee intervention be only from the attacking team requesting the wall is back the required distance?
Thank You
Ruairi

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ruairi,
I will assume you are refering the quote by the Lille keeper in the Man U- Lille match?
The defending team has NO rights at all.
The central issue of concern is not that the law was broken when Man u scored, it was a perfectly good goal, it was the protocall that the misinformed accept as correct by the referee whether his actions mislead or decieved the defenders into thinking it would be a whistled restart. In my opinion until the referee SAYS WAIT for the whistle as a public acknowledgment that there will be a whistled restart as a defender expect the restart at anytime ! His mere presense in the area is NOT, I repeat not a cue that he WILL be whisling in play! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Ruairi, let's get this stated loud and clear, the team committing the foul has NO RIGHTS. They are required to retreat 10 yards without the referee telling them to. It is up to the referee to never further disadvantage the fouled team by refusing to allow them to take a quick free kick. The Lille keeper, like so many players regardless of level of play, is just plain wrong.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

No way! The attacking team has the right to a quick kick. The defending team must remain 10 yds from ball in all directions. They have no right to stand closer or can be cautuioned for failure to respect the requiered distance on a free kick.