Question Number: 23734

Law 15 - Throw In 8/3/2010

RE: rec Under 12

Mark of Herndon, UT USA asks...

I have seen coaches and referees call illegal throw ins because there is a spin on the ball when a player throws the ball in, claiming that the player is favoring one arm, making it illegal. However, when searching for throw in regulations the only thing I can find is that the ball must go over the head when thrown in and not to the side. Is there a regulation against a ball that spins when thrown in, can a player favor one hand if the ball is thrown over his head with both hands?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
In the 2008/2009 season Law 15 Throw in procedure was changed from 'uses both hands' to 'holds the ball with both hands'. Up until that change many referees were of the view that if there was spin on the ball then only one hand was used in the throwing motion which was illegal. That is no longer the case yet there is a legacy issue here with some referees that have not kept up to date with law changes.
If you see this happen again politely tell the coach, referee that Law 15 has changed and that it is no longer an incorrectly taken throw in when there is spin on the ball. The only requirement is that the ball is held by both hands and it is delivered directly over the head.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

'Spin is no sin.' There is no provision in the Laws that a spinning ball is an illegally thrown ball. As long as the mechanics listed in Law 15 are followed, the ball could be spinning.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

It is not an infraction for there to be spin on the ball. For some reason, in this country the throw-in is treated as the most important restart in the book. The throw-in is just a method of restarting play. Most infractions of Law 15 are so inconsequential they should be deemed trifling anyway, and ignored.