Question Number: 20155

Law 15 - Throw In 10/5/2008

RE: Adult

John Fletcher of Coventry, United Kingdom asks...

A player asks a ball boy to move so that he can take a long throw from between two advertising hoardings. The referee tells him he cannot do this, and makes him take the throw in from in front of the hoarding. Later in the game, the same player attempts to take a long throw by starting some 15 yards from where the ball left the field. The ref stops him and awards a throw to the other side.
Is the ref correct in either of these actions?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

1) Throw-ins are to be taken from where the ball left the field. In practice that means about a yard or so to either side, or back from the line. Even in the most crowded stadium, the sign boards are further than a yard from the touchline. The referee was correct in having the player take the throw closer to the field. Nevertheless, ball boys should be doing their best to avoid getting into a player's way, even if that path is not where the player should be.

2) If the referee indicates the location for the throw and the player takes the throw blatantly far from that location, it is a foul throw. The throw-in is turned over to the other team. In most cases, the referee can prevent the throw from taking place at all and have the player try it from the correct spot.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Was this player using a long run-up before throwing the ball into play? Assuming he does this and still throws it from the spot where it left the field, and assuming the long run doesn't unnecessarily delay the game, the referee shouldn't be interfering.

If he was actually throwing the ball from way back away (more than a metre) from the field, then he has generally violated the requirements of Law 15 for a legal throw and it could be awarded to the other team.

The referee can't stop him from taking the throw and award it to the other side, because a restart cannot be changed before it has occurred. The referee must wait for the throw to be completed, and if it was completed without meeting the requirements, the throw will be given over to the other side.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Unless there is a policy as to field limitations and a defining border delineated? Perhaps the advertising marks this boundary of some sort?
While a run up to the throw in is not usually that far the UK position is the ball must enter where it left within a meter or so. Trifling in some cases we can expand that distance within reason.

The recent throw in wording in LAW 15 created some procedural confusion and it was argued by some and implied by LAW 14 PK back heel decision which awards an INDFK to the opposition even though the restart technically never took place, (the ball must go forward procedurally), if the throw in was incorrectly done it MUST be awarded to the opposition even IF the ball never entered into play as in the ball crossing the touchline. This opinion may be held by that referee even if it is not one that most accept as correct

The basis of all restarts used to be the ball must first enter into play before it could be judged as illegal. While the PK back heel decision is odd, LAW 15 throw ins demand the ball enter the field of play before it can be judged as incorrect is unnecessary, however, it has been the historical premise for a very very long time so my feelings aside it is what it is.

While I hold the opinion this could have been better dealt with a word by the referee rather than a loss of possession, you ask is the referee correct? Well as a match condition, his match, his decision, his reputation/ For this match his word is gold, as such best conform rather than lose an opinion style argument, as law 5 points out, a referee is right even if wrong
Cheers

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