Question Number: 25324

Law 15 - Throw In 8/18/2011

RE: Competitive Adult

Chris T. of Kitchener, Ontario Canada asks...

Throw-in question (Law 15):

Long time lurker, first time poster. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Typical run up the sideline, defending player sweeps the ball out the side and the ref indicates a throw in for the attacking team. Seeing that the defending team is slow in moving back to a defensive position, and seeing a striker tearing down the side, the attacking player throws in the ball from about 5 metres behind the touch line.

The ref immediately calls for a foul throw, stating that the throw-in must be taken from within a metre of the touch line.

Thoughts?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

The laws of the game state that the throw in must be taken from where it left the field of play.

Obviously we're not looking at placing it on the exact blade of grass, and we do exercise some sort of tolerance on how far away we'll let players get.

5 yards upfield is quite a fair way away from where the throw occurs - what about 5 yards back towards his own goal? It still breaches the law, and it isn't trifling - especially as the player has done this in order to create more space for his teammate.

How about 5 yards behind the touch line? Again, it isn't taking the throw from where it occurred, and it's having an impact on the match.

Plenty of referees would probably let it go, but the referee here has made the correct decision.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Chris
Thanks for your question.
Law 15 states that the thrower delivers the ball from the point where it left the field of play. In reality that rarely happens and some discretion is given in either direction with the accepted norm around 1 yard/metre in all directions. It is not unusual to see much more discretion given though and the tolerance level depends on the referee and the teams.
In the case of the throw in that enters the field of play at the correct location but it is taken some distance back from the touchline say 5 metres may attract less attention that 5 metres towards goal and the referee may simply allow play to continue. Throwing the ball up the line under simple geometry the ball will enter some 5 yards closer to goal.
I have seen games where throw in locations are question early in the game and the referee then has to manage all throw ins throughout the game in a consistent manner. The opposite of that is true where team simply get on with play and the referee does not call what the teams see as trifling.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The decision was correct. As Refs Wright and McHugh indicate, the location of the throw-in should be within one meter or so (in all directions) from where the ball crossed the touchline.

The restart for a foul throw-in is a throw-in to the opposing team. It is common, however, for the referee to hold up the restart when the thrower appears to be in the wrong location - - in effect, managing the location of the throw-in by voice and presence rather than waiting to call the foul throw-in.