Question Number: 25575

Law 15 - Throw In 10/9/2011

David P. of Houston, TX USA asks...

Law 15 throw-in. I understand both feet have to be on the ground through out the throw and not just at the moment of the release, is that correct?

I had a player jumped while his hands has already started the throwing motion. He landed about the time the ball left his hands. He was on the ground for a very short time during that throw. I felt the jump allowed him to throw the ball further. Was the throw legal?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Law 15 says, in part, 'At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower: ... has part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground outside the touch line.' The procedure you describe seems to meet that condition.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
The player must have both feet on the ground at the moment the ball is thrown. If the player has an action that has a jumping motion during the throw it may attract calls for an incorrectly taken throw in. Some referees can deem it to be legal, other trifling and some that it was incorrectly taken.
To alleviate any doubts the player should be coached to have both feet on the ground during all of the throwing motion.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

As my colleagues have noted, the Law only requires that the feet be touching the ground on or behind the line at the moment of the throw. Once the ball has been released, the feet can go up; before the ball is released the feet can be in the air. The referee must watch carefully, and judge according to the Law.

Sometimes the violations on the throw-ins can be trivial in nature, and this sounds like one of them. I doubt a call was in order here.