Question Number: 26756

Law 13 - Free Kicks 9/12/2012

RE: School High School

Tom of Stony brook, Ny Usa asks...

During a direct kick while ref is moving wall back, player quick kicks and scores. Is this a goal as defending team was being directed to back up when kick was taken?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

If the referee is intervening, then he should have told the player to wait for the whistle.

If that's so, then the player must wait for the whistle to take the kick - so a goal cannot be scored. The kick is to be retaken.

That's definitely the case if the referee is clearly intervening (ie walking the players back). If he's maintaining his distance and just telling the players to move back, then he may not have told the player to wait.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The kick must be retaken if the kicker fails to follow an instruction to wait for the whistle. This is true regardless of the result of the kick - - i.e., goal, ball sails out of play.

The referee should not do anything that misleads the defending team into thinking they must wait for the whistle - - including moving the wall. But, the better procedure is to show the whistle and loudly announce - wait for the whistle.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Tom
Once the referee intervenes at a restart then the restart should be on the whistle. At a free kick once the referee 'gets involved' with the opponents in moving the defensive wall back then the attacking team must wait for the whistle. The attacking team should be told to wait for the whistle. At the higher levels of the game a player would be cautioned for ignoring the instructions of the referee. Once the ball is kicked before the whistle the free kick is taken irrespective of the outcome.
If the attacking team wants to take a quick free kick then the referee should step away from the ball and the opponents. In that sitaution both teams have to accept the outcome of the kick and there is no need for a whistle.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

This is a tricky area for referees who fail to follow proper protocols. If the kick needs to be held up to move the wall back, the referee should show the whistle to the kicking team and to the defense, telling both to wait for the whistle before proceeding. If they fail to do so, the result of the kick does not count. It is possible a kicker in this situation could be cautioned, although not required, and the restart is simply to take the kick again, albeit on the whistle this time.

Just telling the players to move back is problematical, because the defense has a right not to be confused by the referee. Usually being told to move back today means the whistle will restart the match.