Question Number: 24302

Law 15 - Throw In 11/9/2010

RE: Rec Under 13

Jon Rissmiller of Eure, NC USA asks...

On a throw in - if a player throws the ball but it never comes into play (it never touches or crosses the side line) what happens? Is it an infraction thus goes to the other team or does he get to throw it again?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

If the ball has never made it into play, then the restart cannot change. It is still a throw-in for the same team.

This would not be true under the high school rules. It would be a throw-in for the other teams, for reasons that have always escaped me.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

FIFA has indicated that the throw-in is retaken when the ball never enters into the field of play - - with one exception. If the form of the throw-in is foul (e.g., both feet are not on or behind the line; ball not thrown over head using both hands), a throw-in is awarded to the opponents.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jon
The throw in is retaken by the same side when the ball does not touch or cross the plane of the sideline. However if the thrower while taking the throw in does so incorrectly and breaches Law 15 the TI is awarded to the other team.
When I am officiating on my own without neutral assistants and there is a shout that the ball did not enter the field of play at a TI, unless it was blatantly obvious that it did not enter, I usually award a throw in to the other team where I believe the ball left the FOP. Many players stand so close to the FOP that the ball at the throwing action more than likely touched the plane of the line and therfore it is in play even though it immediately leaves the FOP again. I rarely get any gripe about that on the basis that the team had the opportunity to put it into play without question and they recognise that in the absence of certainty it could very well have entered. On the next 'up the line' throw the player is less inclined to throw the ball tight to the line for it to be repeated.
With assistant referees they are well placed to make a call on whether the ball enetered the FOP or not.

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

See Question: 25645