Question Number: 24193

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/18/2010

RE: High School

Matthew of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania USA asks...

I have two questions about related incidents that I have seen recently in high school games. The games are played under NFHS rules although I think the answers would be the same under the LOTG. I would like to know how to handle these situations, because after several years of refereeing in rec leagues that do not require certification, I am working towards becoming certified.

1. Team A is taking a free kick in the middle third of the field (i.e. not close enough that a wall is tactically advisable). A player or players from Team B stand in the way of the free kick. The player(s) are between five and ten yards from the spot of the kick, but they are clearly less than ten yards away. The Team A kicker decides to restart play by intentionally driving the ball into the Team B players, although there is no tactical advantage in doing so.

I have seen this occur multiple times in games, and generally the referees allow play to continue with no stoppage. (Also, the referees usually do nothing to encourage the Team B players to respect the required distance.) It would seem to me that the referee should have a word with the Team B players who were impeding the free kick, possibly caution one of them for delaying restart, and have the free kick retaken.


2. Team A has a throw in. A player from Team B stands close to the touch line but is otherwise not violating the prohibition against impeding a throw in. The thrower from Team A intentionally throws the ball, with force, at the upper body of the Team B player, usually at the head.

Again, I have seen this occur multiple times, and responses from referees range from doing nothing to sending off the thrower for, I assume, violent conduct.

What is the correct result for each of these situations? Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Matthew
My advice is to make the 'best' decision for the game weighing up all the circumstances and these two situations require game control skills by the referee.
1. The 1st instance this happens the referee should stop play immediately and either have a stern word with the player that has done this on the basis that the ball was deliberately kicked at him or if he prevented a 'genuine' quick free kick then a caution is appropriate. I would also have a word with the kicker if it was not a genuine QFK. If the free kick is not taken I would delay the kick and speak to the opponent informing him that it is not acceptable and not to do it. This task of getting in front of the ball will be delegated to probably two players so it is reasonably easy to get the message across. However the referee should ensure that 'everyone' knows that this is not acceptable. Next time it happens caution the player that does it.
2. The referee has to be proactive here and understand what is going on between player. Try to not allow the throw in to be taken with an opponent so close to the thrower. Again get on the whistle, step in and tell the player to move back the 2/3 yards and inform him that he cannot impede the taking of the throw. If it does happen the referee has to make a call here. If the thrower's only intention is to hit the opponent with the ball in the face in a manner that uses excessive force then it is violent conduct and the player should be dismissed. How does the referee determine that? By looking at what was intended with the throw in. Was it intended, was the ball aimed at a team mate or did the opponent cause it by say jumping up. The restart is a direct free kick. If it is intentionally thrown in a careless manner at the player's head then IMO it is unsporting behaviour and thrower should be cautioned and the restart is a direct free kick.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

1. Players are entitled to take a quick kick, and if they do so with an opponent within 10 yards they have given up their right to an unimpeded free kick. If the ball happens to strike the opponent, that's too bad. If the opponents are a reasonable distance away - much closer to 10 yards than they are to 2 - I will give them the benefit of doubt. If they are within a few yards, or if they move to get into the way of the kick, then I would be much more inclined to caution, perhaps with a warning first to younger or recreational teams. I might, after the kick, say something in passing like, 'Let's do better at 10 yards next time, guys.' If the kicker decides to blast the ball right at the opponent, it's pretty hard to decide if that was a mistake or a deliberate intent to harm. Most likely I won't be doing or saying much, if anything, to the kicker.

2. A couple of years ago the Laws of the Game were changed to require the opponents to stay at least 2 yards from the throw-in. I'm not sure if that has been adopted by NFHS. Here we have a much better opportunity to judge that the throw was made with malice, and you are correct, it would be violent conduct if done with excessive force; else it could be unsporting behavior. The restart would vary with circumstances. If the thrower was intent on harming his opponent, he probably wouldn't have taken the throw properly, and consequently it would be a throw-in for the opponents. Should he have followed all mechanics for a throw-in, then it is a form of striking and the restart is a direct free kick from where the ball struck the opponent.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

High school rules are the same as under the laws of the game (although matching FIFA's requirement for two yards on a throw in was added for NFHS this year).

On a free kick, the attacking team is entitled to two rights: ten yards distance AND a quick free kick.

If the attacking team chooses to put the ball into play when the defender is less than ten yards, AND the defender does nothing further to interfere with the kick (moving forward, jumping, sticking out a leg), the referees should rarely interfere with the free kick. But, the only way the referee can enforce both rights on a free kick is to be proactive on the very first kick. Shout them back (make it a big event, particularly if it is in a less dangerous part of the field) and make sure everyone knows the referee today isn't going to put up with this. Some players will be shocked, since their coach has told them to make the attacking team ask for ten. You may need to remind them that the attacking team doesn't have to ask. (Coaches and players have adjusted to the same reluctance by referees to do their job as you've seen.) If proactive warnings don't work, one caution (which holds up the quick kick) will stop the practice for today.

But, before you intervene, watch what the attacking team is doing. Because so many players encroach, some teams have set up plays in the attacking third to take advantage of the space about ten yards from the kick that the defenders leave open. The strategy needs to the defenders to encroach. Sometimes, enforcing the distance will defeat their plans. /