Question Number: 18153

Mechanics 12/18/2007

RE: competive Under 18

ash metcalfe of Leeds, England asks...

What are the referees signals for a handball, foul throw and offside

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

For the first two, the referee will blow the whistle and point in the attacking direction of the opposing team (toward the opponent's goal of the team who broke the law), with his arm up at a 45 degree angle.

For offside, typically the referee will see his assistant's flag go up first (though that part is not required) then he will blow the whistle, point toward the goal from whence the attack came (at a 45 degree upward angle) and lastly, raise his arm straight up into the air in order to indicate that the restart is an indirect free kick.

By the way "hand ball" is not a foul, the foul you're talking about is actually known as "deliberately handling the ball".

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Referees just signal the direction of the restat of play, nothing else is needed because the player knows what he did and he is the one that caused play to stop.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Do we need signals beside whistle, point? I know American high school soccer has them, but they are about as necessary as tits on a boar. Whistle, point. That's about all that is needed to get the game restarted appropriately, although the referee might have a word with a player. You didn't think you'd get to argue with the referee's decision if they indicate the type of offense with some other type of signal, did you? Now, that does have a signal - it's yellow, for dissent, or red if the dissent goes too far. Your own Sir Stanley came up with those signals, when words were not sufficient. Referee decisions are final, so indicating what the offense was is not necessary.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

In USSF, there are no signals for specific fouls other than for the referee to point in direction of restart or point to the penalty mark for a penalty kick. For a foul throw, the referee just points in the direction of the restart with a 45 degree angle. For offside, the referee signals for the indirect kick by raising arm vertically straight up to indicate the kick is indirect. See guide to procedure book for more details.