Question Number: 24503

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 1/19/2011

RE: High School

PHIL R. of LONGVIEW, TX USA asks...

I would like a clarification on a ruling by a Texas UIL high school soccer Referee made during a non-district Texas UIL high school girls soccer game. The visiting team had possession of the ball in the home team's side of the field. Then a fight broke out on the field among two different team players away from the ball and play was stopped. After they were pulled apart, the Referee sent both players off, red card, for obvious fighting. When play resumed, the Referee awarded the visiting team with a direct free kick from where the ball was whistled dead when the fight broke out. They scored from the kick. Shouldn't the Referee engage a drop ball where the ball was stopped? If not, why did the Referee give the visiting team a free direct free kick?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
First off the referee was correct to send off both players for violent conduct.
Now as play was stopped to deal with the misconduct the referee has two choices. He can award a direct free kick against the player that struck the first blow, assuming of course he knows who started the fracas. The direct free kick is taken from the place of the offence.
If he is unsure of who committed the first offence then the referee could invoke the unusual situation ruling and award an indirect free kick from where the ball was located when play was stopped to the team in possession. Perhaps that is what happened here?
IN USSF/FIFA game it would have to be either a direct free kick from the point of the first infraction or a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped if the referee cannot decide who to penalise.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It's not clear what the referee decided.

If the referee stopped play because of a foul by the home team (including the first punch in a fight) the restart could be a direct free kick for the visiting team. But, the location of the restart would be at the spot of the foul.

NFHS rules provide that when the referee stops play for reason other than a foul or misconduct (e.g., an injury) and one team is in clear possession of the ball, the restart is a kick for the team in possession where the ball was located when play was stopped. But, the restart is an INDIRECT free kick. (Under the laws of the game, the restart in such a circumstance would be a dropped ball.)

I am not aware of any circumstance under NFHS rules where a restart would be a direct free kick where the ball was located when play was stopped.

Absent some unique Texas high school rule, it seems that the correct restart was taken in the wrong location or the wrong restart was taken in the correct location.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The direct free kick (for striking an opponent) should be from the spot of the striking