Question Number: 24479

Law 13 - Free Kicks 1/11/2011

RE: Under 17

Dave of DM, IA US asks...

This question is a follow up to question 24469

In this situation,
quick FK and defender interferes inside 10 yds) I know you can't 'legally' play advantage, but is it advisable to 'sorta' play advantage?
For example, say a player clears a FK, past the offending defender to a teammate for a goal scoring opportunity but the ball ends up going off the field.
Could you perhaps lay off the whistle for just a second to see if anything positive will happen, and if it does, let play continue and have a word with the offender later?
I have done this and have wondered if it is proper.
Mind you, it has to be decided very quickly, more so than regular advantage.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dave
My advice is to allow play to continue when the team that has been offended against benefits. How the astute referee does that is through the use of a trifling/doubtful call.
An example would be a free kick as you describe and the ball loops up off the encroaching defender and into the goal over the goalkeepers head. Why would the referee not allow the goal to stand?? Goal every time for me.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Quick whistles are generally a bad idea. Of course, whenever violence is involved stop play immediately but at the taking of a free kick or a foul inside the penalty area, it's best to hold off the whistle a few seconds and simply observe.

I'm curious why you think you cannot play advantage at the taking of a free kick. Not respecting the 10 yards is a violation of Law 12, a cautionable offense and you certainly may play the advantage.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

There is no reason not to hold the whistle. You don't have to call advantage just to wait to blow the whistle - they are two different things, which may coincide, just like a foul and a misconduct.

Failure to respect the 10 yards is a violation of Law 13, which requires the 10 yards and Law 12 which makes failing to respect it a cautionable misconduct.

Patience has great rewards for referees.