Question Number: 17476

Law 13 - Free Kicks 10/23/2007

Katie of Minneapolis, MN USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17311

Is the kicker designated as the sole person who can ask for ten yards? Or can it be any player on the fouled team?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Ensuring all opponents of a free kick retire the required distance is not something the recipients of that free kick need be concerned with because it is an obligation to retire the distance. That obligation is, sadly, not lived up to by many players throughout the world. This is manifest in the myth the attackers must ask for ten and the referees, world wide, not having to courage to deal with failure to respect the required distance at the taking of a corner kick, a free kick or a throw-in.

What you ask is after a team, or player on that team, commits an offence punishable by a free kick is it permissible to delay things and further harm an already harmed team by delaying the restart until their teammates get behind the ball and set up a defence? The answer is NO. If the referee does not deal with the encroachment or delay then any one can demand he do his job. This doesn't ensure the referee will deal with it in accordance with the Law, only that he will further delay the restart and make the free kick ceremonial.

You will find the my colleagues have the same thoughts about this myth as do I. Further, you will find at the highest level of play in the world encroachment and delaying the restart of play is inadequately dealt with for reasons known only to the national organization and the referees assigned those matches.

So much for my opinion on the matter...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

My colleague speaks well as as we are one voice to this troublsome area of contention. The opposition must withdraw and allow the kick to be freely taken. A referee who allows the gamesmenship, the off the ball delay or the unfair actions to further cheat to add further foul play upon an already unfair deed has failed to do his part in ensuring FAIR PLAY. If the players must CONTINUALLY ask we are likely too slow to react. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Anyone on the team awarded the kick can request a ceremonial free kick (ask for 10 yards). Sometimes this is simply by eye contact with the referee, when the team has a set play they wish to execute in close to the goal. Absent that specific situation, everything my colleagues have said speaks to the abysmal performance of referees overall in attaining the required 10 yards free zone in which the attacking team may take their kick. If I have to stop a free kick more than twice in a game to set a wall (once for each team) I know I haven't done my job well (not counting requests for set play pieces) and I work harder on it the next game and the next and the next.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Usually anyone on the team that has been awarded the free kick can ask. Not necessarly the kicker.