Question Number: 24006

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/24/2010

RE: Select Under 13

Rob Norris of Sacramento, CA USA asks...

Hi-

What is the restart for a DFK foul (pushing or tripping) that is committed just outside the field of play beyond the goal line, while the ball is just inside the field of play inside the penalty area? Law 12 states that the kick is taken from where the offense occurred-- however in this case the offense is just outside the field of play.

This question is based on a video I saw from I think USSF's site, but I couldn't bring up the answer as to the restart. Both players were running parallel to the goal line but just off the field, and the defender pulls down the attacker in what appears to be a DFK offense.

So: penalty kick? The players would have been in the penalty area had they been 1-2 yards to their left as they ran along the goal line.

Thank you, great site.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Rob
A foul can only be committed on the field of play. So if a player commits an offence off the field of play and the referee stops play to deal with it the restart is a dropped ball. The offending player can be cautioned for unsporting behaviour.
I always caution referees about this and to ensure that the players are indeed completely off the field of play. In the WC I noticed two incidents were I felt the players were off the field of play when offences were committed and in both situations the referee awarded DFKs close to the line. No one challenged the decisions.
In the case of violent conduct if the player deliberately leaves the field of play to commit the offnce the restart is an indirect free kick from where play was stopped.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Rob. There can be no 'foul' outside the field of play. A foul

1.is committed against an opponent
2. on the field of play
3. while the ball is in play

anything else may still be punished as misconduct.

Ref McHugh has given you the accepted international answer as t what happens when a player purposely leaves the field of play to commit mischief. Here in the US the USSF has a different view and doesn't limit the IDFK restart to Violent Conduct.

b. Offenses off the field of play 1. By players The IFAB has set up two approaches to the situation involving a player committing an offense while off the field. If the player has left the field in the normal course of play and, while off the field, commits an offense ? after dealing with the misconduct, play is restarted with a dropped ball where the ball was when play was stopped* (misconduct committed by a player off the field). However, if the referee decides that the player left the field for the purpose of committing the offense, the restart (after showing the appropriate card) is an indirect free kick where the ball was when play was stopped*. In other words, the IFAB has declared that a player who leaves for the purpose of committing an offense has not left in the normal course of play. If the player is to be cautioned for illegally leaving and then cautioned again for whatever offense he or she commits off the field, the result would be a send-off (two cautionable offenses).

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 24051