Question Number: 24167

Law 1- The Field 10/16/2010

RE: GU12 Bronz Under 12

Bruce of Laguna Niguel, CA Orange asks...

On a corner kick the ball hit a tree limb that hung between the kicker and the goal deflecting the shot enough to change the balls angle then a player knocked it in. Was this ball out of bounds when it hit the tree limb?

Thank you

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

No. Under USSF interpretations, the tree is a pre-existing condition and a ball that hits it remains in play. If the ball hits the tree and leaves the field, the restart will be for the team that knocked it out off the tree.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bruce
Outside the US the referee has a choice here depending on what provision the referee made for this if any.
If both team have been informed that the game will continues if it hits a pre existing condition then its 'rub of the green'. If they have been informed that it will be stopped then its a dropped ball from where play was stopped.
If both team have not been informed nor the referee aware of it then the referee should stop play and restart with a dropped ball.
I remember a number of years ago in a game I was refereeing where there was electricity cables high above the pitch. On a GK punt the ball hit the cables and rebound down to an unmarked forward who could easily have scored. Luckily I had told both teams that should it happen I would stop play and restart with a dropped ball which was the fairest decision IMO.
In the 2006 World Cup in Germany England were playing Paraguay in the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt. Paul Robinson the England goalkeeper hit the giant scoreboard high in the middle of the field of play with a punt. The referee Marco Rodriguez of Mexico stopped play and restarted with a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

What you describe is a pre-existing condition. Here is what Advice To Referees has to say about this:

(b) Non-regulation appurtenances (see 1.7) These include superfluous items attached to the goal frame (such as the uprights on combination soccer/football goals) and not generally subject to movement. If the ball contacts these items, it is deemed to be automatically out of play and the restart is in accordance with the Law, based on which team last played the ball.
(c) Pre-existing conditions These are things on or above the field which are not described in Law 1 but are deemed safe and not generally subject to movement. These include trees overhanging the field, wires running above the field, and covers on sprinkling or draining systems. They do not affect one team more adversely than the other and are considered to be a part of the field. If the ball leaves the field after contact with any item considered under the local ground rules of the field to be a pre-existing condition, the restart is in accordance with the Law, based on which team last played the ball. (Check with the competition for any local ground rules.)
Note: The difference between non-regulation appurtenances and pre-existing conditions is that, if the ball makes contact with something like uprights or crossbar superstructure, it is ruled out of play even if the contact results in the ball remaining on the field. Where there is a pre-existing condition (such as an overhanging tree limb), the ball remains in play even if there is contact, as long as the ball itself remains on the field. Referees must be fully aware of and enforce any rules of the competition authority or field owner regarding non-regulation appurtenances.