Question Number: 25707

Law 15 - Throw In 11/5/2011

RE: Professional

sumal of gaborone, botswana asks...

when all can a throw -in become foul throw

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Sumal
A throw in is incorrectly taken if the player
# does not face the field of play
# does not have part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground outside the touch line
# does not holds the ball with both hands
# does not deliver the ball from behind and over his head
# does not deliver the ball from the point where it left the field of play
The most common ones are where the player has his foot fully over the line or the player does not put the ball behind his head.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Ref McHugh provides the requirements of Law 15

The throw-in, however, is just a way to get the ball back into play quickly. At the higher levels, most errors in the form of the throw are trifling - - they provide no advantage, and make no difference in the match. They can be ignored. Things that do make a difference - - including the location of the throw and unlawful techniques that permit a longer throw - - should be called.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It depends. If the ball leaves the hands and enters the field and then the foot either comes off the ground or crosses the line into the field of play, the throw was good, because at the moment the ball left the hands and entered the field, the requirements of the throw outlined in Law 16 have been met. What happened afterward is irrelevant as far as whether the throw was good or not.

In a professional game, the referee team is looking to make sure the requirements are met, but they are also aware that the most important thing is to get play restarted. Thus, minor violations are generally considered trifling or doubtful and not called. Only, as Ref Wickham noted, when the throwing team is achieving some unfair advantage, such as in field position or otherwise which violates one of the 5 requirements for a proper throw, should the referee intervene and call the throw foul.