Question Number: 22566

Law 15 - Throw In 11/22/2009

RE: Competitive Adult

Gary of Niagara Falls, Ontario, canada asks...

Throw-in

I have read law 15 (2008-2009) and see nowhere that a player must stand nomore than a metre from the touch line when taking a throw; is this an unwritten law/rule? Players cannot encroached latterally in either direction.

If the player taking a throw hits the referee before the ball enters his opponents goal, is the goal awarded? or is it a goal kick? Again I read law 15 and it doesn't say anything about hitting the referee, is the referee still considered part of the game during a throw-in?

Can a player play the ball off of the referee (not in a careless manner) in order to take a quick throw?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Gary
Law 15 states that the throw in must be delivered from where the ball left the FOP. Now the referee allows some discretion in how far from that point the TI can be taken and the advice is that 1 metre is acceptable. The US ATR actually states that 1 metre meets the requirement.
As regards the ball hitting the referee that is the same as hitting a post, corner post, crossbar and if the ball hits off the referee directly on a throw in and it enters the goal it is a goal kick. The referee should ensure that his positioning does not allow that to happen.
As regards throwing the ball off the referee again that it treated the same and if the player that takes the TI touches the ball before it is played by another player that is an offence and the referee stops play and award an indirect free kick where the thrower touched the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The Law says the throw must be taken from the spot. USSF Advice to Referees gives the 1 yard/meter distance as a definition of where 'at' is.

If a throw-in bounces off the referee, it has not yet been touched by another player. So it may not yet be touched again by the player that took the throw-in. If it should bounce off the referee and back over the touchline, it will be a throw-in for the opponents, assuming it was in play when it hit the ref.

If the referee thought the ball was deliberately thrown to strike him, the player should be sent off for violent conduct.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Unfortunately, many of the provisions of the law are removed when FIFA/IFAB believes it is something that 'everyone knows.' The 'one meter' on a throw in is one of those items. Although the US Advice To Referees is not binding on referees in other federations, it is an excellent source for the traditions and no longer written interpretations of the laws.