Question Number: 24328

Law 16 - Goal Kick 11/15/2010

RE: all Under 19

Ken Rice of Cool, California USA asks...

If the ball goes out of play over the goal line it is a goal kick. The ball is placed properly. The kicker runs up and instead of kicking the ball picks it up and moves the ball to a new location. My belief is that the player must move the ball back and the referee may caution the player for delay but it is still a goal kick . Another referee stated that the restart is an indirect kick for the other team. I disagree because the ball has never been put into play by leaving the penalty. I am the referee coordinator and do not want to put incorrect opinions out to my young referees until I get some kind of answer

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi ken
It is most defintely not an indirect free kick. The ball is not in play so the resart does not and cannot change. It is a goalkick.
As regards whether it is a caution or not depends on the referee. If the referee believes that it is done to delay the restart then that is a caution. A change of mind by the player might simply merit a quiet public word.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

In matches played under the laws of the game, the restart remains a goal kick since the ball was out of play.

The referee has the option to caution the player if ITOOTR the action was done for the purpose of delay. Otherwise, a team is not required to kick the ball once it is placed for a goal kick; the ball may be repositioned.

Under high school (NFHS) rules, however, the team is required to kick the ball once it has been spotted. The ball may not be repositioned. Even then, however, the restart is a goal kick.

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

Once the ball is out of play, we cannot change the restart, no matter what happens in the interim between the ball going out of play and being put back into play. And you are correct. On a goal kick, the ball must clear the penalty area on the first kick before the ball is in play.

In the situation you outlined, there is no need for a caution unless there is an excessive (more than just a few seconds) delay caused by the repositioning, and/or this has happened several times before in the game, and the team has been warned to cut it out. Simply calling out to the kicker to 'Leave it, #7!' in an authoritative tone might be all that is needed - or a quiet word with the player after the kick is back in play.

I guess the motto here is don't make trouble where there isn't any. I have removed the reference to names in your question, as it is applicable across the US and not just in your state.

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

See Question: 24629