Question Number: 22109

League Specific 9/29/2009

RE: Adult

Steve Buettner of Concrete, Wa USA asks...

When I played soccer in high school during the mid to late 1960's when the ball went out of bounds we used to kick the ball in instead of throwing it. That was per international rules at that time.
My question is, why did they change the rule to have players throw the ball in instead of kicking back in to play? I know the rule changed when I was in high school so that would have been around 1967-68-69.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steve
The throw in in soccer has been an integral part of the game since it inception. The 'two handed' throw-in as we know today was introduced in December, 1892, that right almost 120 years ago.
In 1938 the present Laws of the Game were framed in a new international system of codification, based on the Laws previously in force. The throw in as we know it was part of those laws and has remained unchanged.
Over the years there has been modifications made by associations and groups thoughout the world to assist in the promotion of the game. However those modification do not change the law.
For instance in Europe some small sided games have a kick in instead of a throw in and it is a modification of the laws. It does not however change the fundamental of the Throw In Law 15.
I would suspect that the same happened in High Schools in the US.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Steve, except for a small point, the laws of the game, regarding throw ins, have not changed in your lifetime. In 2007 FIFA added that opponents have to be 2m away from the thrower. These laws are the international laws, made by IFAB and published by FIFA for 11 aside games. The 'kick-in' you are talking about is a local modification, or a local rule. There is a big difference in rules and laws. Rules apply to local associations and laws apply globally. US high school is notorious for deviating from international laws in several respects. Even NASL deviated from the laws when they introduced the shootout for ties. Similar to hockey, a player would start at the 35 yard line and attack the goalie on a one on one situation. This was never part of the laws, just a local rule.
The phrase 'international rule' therefore is a misnomer. It is either international law or local rule.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

I don't know the answer to Steve's question (why did high school change back), but I found out more about when it started. Colleges in the US began experimenting with major deviations from the laws of the game in the 1950's. In 1951, the college rules substituted an indirect free kick for a throw-in. High school rules followed, but I haven't found when.

As Refs Nagy and McHugh note, the rest of the world did not. But, the international version of indoor soccer (FUTSAL), played on small fields, uses a kick- in.