Question Number: 22532

Law 15 - Throw In 11/16/2009

RE: Competitive

Kevin of Orlando, Florida United States asks...

Here is essentially what happened: A player takes a throw-in on a quick restart at approximately the correct spot where the ball left the field of play. However, since the player chased down the ball, he threw it in about 12 yards from the sideline. The ball never crossed the line until it hit the ground out-of-bounds about 20 yards upfield. The ball then crosses over the line by rolling onto the field of play.
Questions:
1. Is there a limit on how far back the player may stand from the field of play to take a throw-in?
2. Must the ball cross the line (in the air or otherwise) a certain distance from where the throw-in is taken to be legal?
3. If the ball hit the ground outside of the field of play and then enters the field of play, is it a legal throw?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

1. Yes. One yard.
2. No. If the throw is taken from the correct place, the ball may actually curve and enter the field far from where it began.
3. No. If the mechanics of the throw were otherwise proper, the throw would be retaken from the original spot of the throw. If the mechanics were improper, a throw in would be awarded to the other team from the original spot of the throw.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Kevin

In this scenario the ball was not put back into play properly and the correct restart here is a retake of the throw in from the correct place.
Law 15 does not states any limit just that the player 'delivers the ball from the point where it left the field of play'. The ATR states that this requirement is satisfied if the restart occurs within approximately one yard (one meter) of this location, farther up-field or down-field or back from the touch line. A throw-in taken beyond this limit is an infringement of Law 15.
Now we all know that a tape rule approach rarely happens and there is some discretion given to players where they take the TI. I take account of the actual circumstances and if teams are getting on with play I give more discretion in all directions. Its funny that teams have little problem with a player going downfield or back from the line a considerable distance to take a TI.
2. This is debatable and there are those that believe that if the ball say enters some distance away from where it left the FOP then that is not legal. Whether that can be determined due to the starting position of the thrower or not is another matter or indeed if it is trifling as probably the ball cannot be played anyway until it comes into play due to the trajectory of the ball. If the ball touches the outside plane of the line it is in play. It might however maybe raise shouts of 'Never in Ref ' 'Ball not in Ref' with perhaps the defender not making a play for the ball. Common sense might be to go with a retake with the simple words " Okay we'll have that TI again". In Europe some believe that it is an incorrectly taken TI and it should be turned over.
3. No, the ball cannot touch the ground before entering the FOP. The TI is retaken from the original place.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Law 15 says the thrower 'delivers the ball from the point where it left the field of play.'

USSF Advice to Referees amplifies this, defining where 'the point' is:
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15.1 LOCATION OF THROW-IN
Although the throw-in is to be taken 'from the point where [the ball] crossed the touch line,' this requirement is satisfied if the restart occurs within approximately one yard (one meter) of this location, farther upfield or downfield or back from the touch line. A throw-in taken beyond this limit is an infringement of Law 15.
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As long as the throw starts from this location, it could enter the field well down the line (a throw taken at a sharp angle).


In the Interpretations and Guidelines section of the Laws, it says what to do about the ball that doesn't enter the field (page 126):
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If the ball touches the ground before entering the field of play, the throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position provided that it was taken in line with the correct procedure. If the throw-in is not taken in line with the correct procedure, it is retaken by the opposing team.
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Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Allowing a player to throw it in from 12 yards away is a violation of the requirements of Law 15, and the restart should be given over to the other team. Before the extensive rewrite of the LOTG in 1998, we find in the Additional Instructions Regarding the Laws of the Game at the back of the 1997 version item #18:

'Throw-in A throw-in may not be taken from a distance of
more than one metre outside the touch-line. Players are forbidden from standing directly in front of the footballer who is taking the throw-in so as to harass him.'

This has not changed, even though it is no longer written in the Laws. Much of what we know to be correct procedure isn't written in the Laws anymore, but it is still good Law.

The one yard/metre requirement is meant to simply the spot of the throw - so we don't have to locate the exact blade of grass - but we need to be close. As my colleagues have noted, you may find this today in the Advice to Referees, along with much useful information no longer found in the Laws themselves, but which we referees are expected to know. Weird, huh?