Question Number: 19765

Law 13 - Free Kicks 8/18/2008

Gil Acedo of Upland, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19716

I have many times lain in bed at midnight thinking about this very situation (tells you a little bit about my life doesn't it). I have always been a stickler for the 'kicked and moved' aspect of Law 13 but seem to be the lone voice calling in the wilderness. Most referees allow the stepping on the ball with a slight quiver as the first touch during the IFK and a ball subsequently kicked into the goal is valid, in their eyes. Mean ol' Referee Gil however whistles a goal kick for the opponents under the same circumstances and of course I catch more than my share of grief with a '...but the last ref let us do that' yelled in my face.

I wish you all could get the word out so that the more sensitive among us would not get so much guff.

Thanks for all you do.

Gil

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Gil. The problem is that for years official policy was that a tap of the ball with the foot did indeed constitute kicked and moved. But, when sanity returned and official USSF policy changed to require actual kicking and movement, the word is not getting around. Part of the reason is the wisdom of US Soccer to NOT give a copy of Advice To Referees to every referee at every recertification like they used to. Another part of the problem lies with instructors that simply don't do their job and relay current information to the rest of us. So, it's left to referees like you that spread the word by correctly not allowing a tap on the top to be kicked and moved. Whenever a player complains that the last referee allowed it, simply say that that referee was wrong. We will continue to get the word out with our answers and you keep calling this correctly

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Gil how to put a free kick into play rests in Law 13, kicked and moved. Historically this was kicked and moved the distance of its circumference into play. In 1997 this changed to kicked and moved because too many referees could not estimate 27-28 inches and allowed a second touch after the ball was kicked and moved. The International FA Board thought they made things simpler. The didn't take into account referees who thought tapped and wiggled equated to kicked and moved. Some of those referees wrote policy in this country!! That has been corrected. Not it's up to referees who read things like Advice to get the word out. Assessors who allow referees to count tap and wiggle or shake and quiver as kicked and moved need to have a bit of retraining as well.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Oh Gil,
you are in deep need of theraphy if you go to bed with visions of free kicks dancing in the head. ;o)

When they, meaning IFAB and FIFA altered the text of rolling to kicked and moved it was to allow the play to resume at the moment it occurs not to watch a ball travel a full revolution of its circumfrence. The movement of subatomic particles does dictate that any foot in contact with the ball will likely create even microscopic movement. Given the law allows a ball to be scopped into the air as a continuios contact moment we must evaluate just exactly what a kick is ? A motion of the foot that puts the ball into play by moving it from here to there.

I suggest you simply tell the teams you referee that there is a myth you wish to address and then the information is stated the ball must be kicked into play, a foot resting on top then taken away does not qualify.

Why this issue remains mirred in controversey is the opposition CLOSES the players down immediately upon foot to ball contact and since both teams are ok the referee feels no burning need to intervene. The logic of trifling or doubtful here as opposed to neccesary law correction

I once again suggest that a preseason meeting with EVERYONE in attendance and to go over these tidbits that CONSTANTLY crop up year in and year out. To change or at least make knowledge available on a consistant basis is for all those afffected to HEAR and see the same thing at the same time by the same people. Imagine referees, coaches, players and parents all together at the same time to learn instead of speculate about what each others motives are!
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 19810