Question Number: 21684

Law 11 - Offside 7/23/2009

RE: Rec, Competitive Under 12

Rattan of Ottawa, ON Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 21541

At what point during the proper throwing motion must a player release the ball for a legal throw-in? Can the ball be directed into ground when the arms are below chest level? I have not seen it yet but curious?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

There isn't a set point. The only thing a thrower must be careful about is not spiking the ball - and even that is not always illegal.

The ball must come from behind and over the head - but it can be released anywhere in that trajectory. The closer it gets to the ground before being released, the less effective the throw will be. It is sort of self-correcting.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Law 15 tells us the ball must be delivered 'from behind and over the head.' If the ball moves from behind and over the head we don't need to dissect the exact moment the ball was released. By tradition, however, spiking the ball by throwing it straight down has been considered a foul throw.

I think we tend to focus too much on throw-in technique. The throw-in is simply a way to get the match restarted quickly. Most of the time what looks like an infringment actually was proper. The feet might go up, but at the instant the ball was released, both feet were on the ground; the ball was thrown behind and over the head, but we judge incorrectly the exact moment of release. Where the technique is doubtful or trifling, and the throw meets the spirit of the laws for a quick restart, any infringment can safely be ignored.

I also think that we tend to focus too little on where the throw-in takes place. Players can gain a signficant advantage by throwing the ball 10 - 15- 20 yards from where the ball went out.

Dennis

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I likewise agree far too much emphasis is placed on the throw-in which is merely a method to get the game restarted. At the youngest levels of play it's appropriate to punish foul throws as part of our job at those age groups is instructional, but even at lower levels I see referees wrongly punish a foot coming up when the ball had already been released. At higher levels of play most infringements are trifling. Far to LITTLE emphasis is placed on the proper location of the throw. I see the same referees that punish a foot in the air allow a throw 10-15 yards from where the ball went over the touch line.