Question Number: 24478

Law 13 - Free Kicks 1/11/2011

RE: Travel and high school High School

Martin Maisonneuve of port saint lucie, fl usa asks...

I have coached for 8 years and reffed for 12 years. My ref exp is in travel under FIFA rules. I just moved to Florida recently and have read the rules, but need an interpretation for a FL HS Ref. Restart for the opposing team due to offside (indirect) in their penalty area. Our player is jogging to get reset. The keeper kicks the ball, hits our player and we start an attack. Whistle blows to stop play since the ball did not leave the 18. Is that corrct???

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Martin
The decision is a retake of the freekick as the ball must leave the penalty area on all kicked restarts within the penalty area before it is in play. Same applies to both FIFA and NFHS games.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Martin, if you're coaching a Florida High School team you should have a copy of 2010-2011 NFHS Soccer Rules Book. In fact, you say you've read the rules.

Rule 13 Section 3 Article 1 ........If the free kick is awarded to the defending team in its penalty area, the players opposing the kicker shall be outside the penalty area at least 10 yards from the ball and must remain there until the ball clears the penalty area.

Article 2 ...........If the free kick is awarded to the defending team in its penalty area, the ball is not in play until it is beyond the penalty area and into the field of play.

What rules did you read that did not contain these 2 Articles?

Your use of multiple question marks makes it appear you are surprised by the referee's ruling. Surely you did not referee with FIFA rules 12 years without knowing the LOTG require the ball to leave the penalty area on ANY free kick awarded the defending team inside it's penalty area including goal kicks, before the ball is in play. High School rules are the same. If the ball touches any player before leaving the penalty area, we retake the kick.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Correct. There is no difference between TLOG and NFHS rules regarding when the ball is in play on a free kick for the defense inside their own penalty area, including goal kicks.

The ball is not in play until it leaves the penalty area. If it touches another player, including an opponent, the kick must be retaken.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

For some reason, this is a little known part of the Laws of the Game, which in this case is the same in NFHS rules. 'Everyone knows' that the ball must exit the penalty area on a goal kick before it is in play; very few people, including an appalling number of referees, know this also applies on any free kick taken by a team inside their own penalty area. This is surprising, since Law 13 and Law 16 are worded almost identically.