Question Number: 24524

Law 13 - Free Kicks 1/24/2011

RE: Select Under 14

Tony of Seattle, WA United States asks...

In a recent tournament game, a dfk was awarded just outside reds penalty area. The 'red' team set their wall at less than 10 yards. The ref told 'blue' to 'wait for the whistle' and moved wall back ten yards. Before the ref blew his whistle, blue took the kick, and the ball went high and wide. The ref awarded a re-take and blue scored on the re-take and won the game 1-0. Did this ref make the correct call here?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Yes. The kick was taken before the whistle, so it must be retaken (unless the referee remembered he did actually blow the whistle, but not very loudly).

If this was the first time the kicker had done this, a simple warning would be sufficient before the kick was retaken. However, if this was a repeat, there would be a caution given before the kick was retaken (assuming the referee did not actually blow his whistle ever so softly, so that only the kicker heard it).

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Yes. When instructed to wait for the whistle, the kick cannot be taken. Regardless of the outcome, it must be retaken.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Tony
The whistle is required for all ceremonial restarts that is every penalty kick and kick-off, plus any other restart which the referee has delayed for any reason including setting the defending players back the required 10 yards.
The whistle is needed to restart play for these free kicks where the appropriate distance is requested. In these situations the kicker should be told that the kick should not be taken until the whistle signal is given by the referee. In the US as advised by the ATR under these circumstances, an attacker who restarts play before the whistle is blown should be verbally warned and, upon repetition, be cautioned for unsporting behavior and the kick is retaken.
In Europe it is reasonably certain that if a player takes the free kick after being advised by the referee to wait until the whistle is blown will be cautioned. Perhaps in a situation where there is confusion and the instruction was not clear a warning would suffice. However referees would have little tolerance for a player ignoring instructions not to take the free kick. The player will be cautioned and the free kick must be retaken.
This is the advice from UEFA in Europe
""" Free Kicks taken before the whistle signal
Referees were reminded that when they have clearly indicated to the attacking team that they should wait for a whistle signal and then one of the team takes the kick; the free kick must be retaken in all cases, regardless of the outcome of the premature kick.
The offending kicker will then be cautioned.""

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

See Question: 24534

See Question: 24535

See Question: 24540