Question Number: 24535

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 1/28/2011

RE: Select Under 15

David of Corona, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 24524

While I agree that in any instance where you have told a player to 'wait for the whistle', that the whistle must sound before the ball can be put back into play, I don't believe that the kickoff actually qualifies. I was surprised by this answer during a referee training class I took last week. According to the LOTG, it states that for a kickoff
? all players must be in their own half of the field of play
? the opponents of the team taking the kick-off are at least 9.15 m
(10 yds) from the ball until it is in play
? the ball must be stationary on the centre mark
? the referee gives a signal
? the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward
? the kicker must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player

Our instructor said 'gives a signal' could be anything, including a verbal 'go!' from the referee. That seemed unlikely to me, but apparently legal by the Laws.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Your instructor gave the old answer, which was that the laws require only a signal.

FIFA's binding interpretations and guidelines now provide that the signal must be a whistle. The USSF doesn't print the FIFA interpretations in the published law book, but they are annexed to the online version of the laws at the fifa.com website. Instead, the USSF incorporates the interpretations and guidelines into the USSF Advice to Referees, which is available at ussoccer.com.

Whistles are also mandatory at a penalty kick, a ceremonial restart, and after a substitution.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
The Law states that a whistle is required and it is good advice. It tells players on both teams that play can restart.
Have I allowed play to continue at a kick off without giving a whistle?. Yes, after a goal with both teams ready to play and all the kick off conditions have been met. I see little point in bringing play back to just give a signal as would the teams who are getting on with play.
I had a situation today where I awarded a free kick and then I had to caution the player. Before I could signal play to recommence the team took the free kick and promptly managed to kick it out of play. The Law states
" The whistle is needed to:
# restart play after it has been stopped due to:
? the issue of a yellow or red card for misconduct
? injury
? substitution ""
I could have brought it back for the whistle but I simply went with the throw in and that was the 'best' decision in the circumstances.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Generally, it is safe to assume that when the LOTG say 'the referee gives a signal' that signal will be the blowing of the whistle. Hard to go wrong there. I'm actually glad the days of the referee being able to start the half with 'Let's go!' as the verbal signal to start is gone. Or, the guy I knew who did the baseball windup and said - 'play ball!'.

Whistles are for communicating across space to lots of folks - works great! And, yes, your instructor is behind the times. Oops. Go to the USSF website, look under referees, and Laws of the Game, and check out the FIFA version, and also the new Advice to Referees.