Question Number: 23413

Law 15 - Throw In 6/3/2010

RE: select Under 16

bill of grapevine, texas usa asks...

This question is a follow up to question 23323

Throw-in attempt lands on line. Ball did not cross into play and then curve back towards line - just never made it all the way past the line. IMO the ball never made it into play and I instructed the player to take a re-throw. When we discussed it later, my AR felt that since the ball has to be completely over the line in order to be out of play, then the ball bouncing on the line on the throw-in has to be back in play. He explained this came from one of his assessors.

I spoke later with another assessor, who explained the ball needed to completely cross the line before being considered back in play, which is what I thought.

When is the ball back in play? Once it has crossed the outside edge of the line, or once it has completely cleared the line?

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The ball is back in play when
-- any part of it has eclipsed the outside edge of the line and
-- it has been released from the thrower's hands.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Bill
Your questions shows how inconsistent assessors can be on the fundamentals of the Laws. Once any part of the ball touches the line or plane of the line having been released by the thrower it is in play. For it to go out of play all of the ball must cross over the plane of the line.
In your case if the ball hit the line from the throw in and then went over the line the opponents take the throw in from that point.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The outside edge of the line is the plane that must be broken for the ball to have entered the field. If any part of the ball was on any part of the line (lines are part of the area they enclose, remember?) the ball has entered the field. If it then goes back off the field, the throw is awarded to the other team.

To say the whole ball must cross the whole line would mean that the line was NOT part of the field, and we know better than that, I hope.

Your AR was correct, the assessor needs to read the Laws a little more often.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Easy way to remember this is that all areas of a soccer field INCLUDE the boundary lines. Hence, on a throw-in, the ball is back on the field of play when it touches or goes over ANY part of the touchline and is now in play.