Question Number: 15008

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 3/19/2007

RE: Professional

ishafizan of PJ, Sgor Malaysia asks...

According to your opinion, is the ball already out of play?
http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/1779/goltipupe5.jpg

thank u

Answer provided by Referee Mike Gartenhaus

From the view of the photos alone, the ball is not out of play. It is still touching the invisible plane that extends from the goal line to the sky. However, since I cannot see what happened before or after the photo was taken, I can only judge from the evidence you have presented. I am guessing the ball was ruled out of play, since you are asking.
Thank you for writing.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

I see the ball still in play because the ball did not completely cross the Again, that is based on the still shots that I saw. Maybe there is more that would favor the ball being over the goal line completely.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

It is not our opinions that matter here, but those of the match officials. If they ruled the ball no longer in play then it was no longer in play. This holds true if there is evidence supporting either eventuality.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

If we look at the two pictures the ball is in play at the moment those pictures were taken. If the AR or referee could see that was the case play continues. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

I have seen many photos that look to be one thing which, when you are able to see how the players got into the positions in the photo, the event was actually something else entirely. One snapshot does not tell the whole story so I am reluctant to render an opinion based on one or two photos. All the best,