Question Number: 25432

League Specific 9/15/2011

RE: Competitive High School

Bernard MacGruder of SF, CA USA asks...

Actually two part question. When a referee halts a game for an injury, isn't the correct restart a dropped ball even if the goalie is holding the ball? He could then just drop the ball in the penalty area and encourage the opposing team not to participate in the dropped ball. I am constantly getting annoyed at the referees who give an indirect free kick. Secondly, players are allowed to go shoulder to shoulder when vying for the ball, correct? But what if a defender clearly bumps an attacker who is going for the ball. If the defender is clearly playing the man, not the ball, is that a foul. In the instance I saw, the ball was about 5 yards in front of the two players when the defender knocked the attacker over with his shoulder. He was very clearly playing the man.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

1. Restart after injury. High school rules are different. NFHS rules provide for an indirect free kick when play is stopped for an injury and one team is in possession of the ball. You are correct that under TLOG the restart would be a dropped ball.

2. Shielding the ball is lawful, and a player is not required to be trying to play the ball. (Note: this is most obvious whenever a defender shields the ball so that it will go out for a goal kick.) The charge must be otherwise fair and the ball must be within playing distance. The only difference between high school and TLOG is the name of the indirect free kick foul given when a player shields the ball and it is not within playing distance: NFHS rules refers to the foul as 'obstruction', the term used under the former TLOG for the foul currently called 'impeding. (Note: in many parts of the world, if the ball is not within playing distance and there is physical contact, the referee will either ignore the bump as trifling, or award a direct free kick for charging .)

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

1. Under NFHS rules, the proper restart is an indirect free kick for the team in possession when play is stopped. This differs from the FIFA Laws of the Game.

2. I am not familiar with NFHS rules regarding charging. Under USSF, a charge is fair if done while contesting for the ball (the ball is within playing distance) and not using excessive force. Five yards would be an extreme distance in my opinion, but could be considered legal especially if the players were moving with some speed. The fact that a player falls down does not indicate that the charge was illegal. Sometimes weight and balance will cause a player who has been fairly charged to fall.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bernard
High School games are played under the auspices of NFHS which has its own 'Rules' and it is not affiliated to USSF/FIFA. What you are referring to are differences between both codes. There are other differences
NFHS Rules state that the restart is an indirect free kick for an injury stoppage rather than the LotG dropped ball.
In NFHS the rules state that a player not attempting to play the ball, but remaining between the ball and an opponent, may be legally challenged from behind provided the challenge is not violent or dangerous and the ball is within playing distance.