Question Number: 25092

Law 15 - Throw In 6/11/2011

RE: Under 14

Filippo of Palermo, Italy asks...

A quick question about throw-ins.

We know that if an infringement is committed during the execution of a free kick, a kick-off, a goal kick or a corner kick, the restart is retaken by the same team, while when an infringement is committed during a throw-in, the throw-in is awarded to the opposing team.

But... why? Is there a specific reason for this particularity?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

There are very few infringements that the kicker can do at the taking of a free kick. I can only think of things that are misconduct. Since the restart hasn't yet happened when the misconduct takes place, we continue with the original restart (kick).

There are two special kick situations:
-- On a kickoff, when the kick does not go forward, it is retaken. But because the ball was not put into play, it makes sense that it is 'retaken' - it actually is taken correctly for the first time.
-- At a penalty kick, if the ball is kicked backward, the restart is a free kick to the other side. This is one of the only times a restart is changed when the ball was not put into play.

But on a throw-in, the mechanics of the throw itself can be performed incorrectly, by the player taking the throw. The ball usually enters the field. I think this may be why the restart is a throw-in for the other team.

The other situation when a restart is changed before the ball is in play is when an incorrectly taken throw does not enter the field. Despite not having entered the field, the other team gets the throw-in.

These two exceptions - the PK and the Throw-in - were added to the Laws by IFAB in the past few years. Otherwise, the restart cannot be changed by any activity that happens before the ball is put into play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Filippo
One usually finds the answers to these questions in the history of the Laws. At one time the ball had to be thrown straight in between two sets of players much like in rugby today. Any infringement by the thrower in rugby results in the ball being given to the opponents or a scrum to the opponents. The Law makers obviously decided that the best solution was to give the ball to the opponents to take the TI.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The general notion is that something that happens when the ball is not in play does not change the restart. But, there is at least one other exception: if an infringement occurs on a penalty kick between whistle and kick, the penalty kick is not always retaken. There is a matrix for the possible restarts.

Note as well, that a double touch infringement for all restarts will result in a free kick for the opponent - - but this is an infringement that occurs after the ball is in play.

Finally, if an otherwise proper throw-in fails to put the ball into play, the throw-in will be taken. In that sense, it is similar to the kickoff that fails to move forward or the free kick that fails to move.