Question Number: 22278

Law 15 - Throw In 10/18/2009

RE: cysa class 1 Under 14

Joanne Pontis of redwood City, CA usa asks...

Is it illegal to step over the side line when throwing in a ball?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

The laws of the game state that both feet must be on or behind the line.

This means that you can have the toes of your front foot on the field. You can even have most of your front foot on the field, as long as your heel is on the line.

If you lift that heel up while you're throwing the ball then that foot is no longer 'on or behind the line' and could be considered in breach of the laws, although the referee may also consider it trifling and allow it anyway.

Also, bear in mind that this is only important while the ball is still in the player's hands - once he releases the ball, none of it matters.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Depends on what you mean by 'over'. A player may put his foot/feet on the touchline when throwing the ball into the field.

Only when the foot is completely inside the field of play and not on the touchline at all will the throw be called as incorrectly done and the throw awarded to the opposing team. The question becomes one of where was the foot when the ball was released?

It is useful to remember that a throw-in is simply a method of restarting play, that the throw is pretty evenly won by either team each time it is thrown, and that many infractions can be considered trifling in nature, and thus not in need of a call.

Generally, violations of Law 15 are called more at the less experienced levels because both the players and the referees are learners. At upper levels, it is most often called when the violations are affecting the fairness of the game, or one team is trying to cheat, or the violation is egregious.