Question Number: 22870

Law 15 - Throw In 2/25/2010

RE: Under 18

Steven of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

if as a player holds the ball in their hands and face the field ready to throw in but the ball slips out and lands of the field of play but the thrower has not thrown it over her head and
2. What if it slips out just as they throw it and pick it up again???

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The referee usually can ignore minor defects in performing a throw-in as doubtful or trifling. This is usually one of them. The thrower wasn't trying to cheat and neither team was advantaged or disadvantaged by the restart. So, the referee usually sees no reason to interrupt the flow of the game by stopping the match.

The technical answer to your question, however, is that if the referee judges that this was an improperly performed throw-in, the restart is a throw-in to the opponent regardless whether the ball entered the field of play or not.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Steven, I believe you are asking what constitutes a legal throw in (TI). If the referee sees this as an accident, truly slipping out of a person's hand, most reasonable refs would not call as a foul TI and he should be free to take it again. This is a common sense problem. The laws describe how a TI should be taken and if a player does it wrong he loses the TI.

No matter what common sense says, the referee's opinion is final.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steven
If the throw in was taken in line with the correct procedure and the ball simply slipped out of his hands then if the ball touches the ground before entering the field of play or it did not enter the field of play the throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position.
Most times when it has come into the FOP on a slip I simply allow play to continue as the correct procedure has been followed just the ball slipping out of the hands going forward. IMO its the same as slipping while kicking the ball at a FK. The player does not get another go and the ball is in play.
Many times if the ball slips it will not enter the FOP and it is a retake