Question Number: 26787

Law 13 - Free Kicks 9/17/2012

RE: Select Travel Under 14

Ben of Somerset, CO USA asks...

Regarding free kicks and failure to repect the distance or delaying restart - what is the guidance by FIFA or USSF? Is this cautionable event ever enforced? The interpretation of Law 13 states that if an opponent deliberately prevents taking the kick. How close is that? 5 yds? 2yds? If an opponent stands in front of the ball, I am not prevented from kicking it sideways, but what if the opponent is preventing the direction that I want to kick it? Players are taught these days that attackers MUST ask for ten yards. That is NOT in the law. The law says opponents should be ten yards away and if you are not then they should be cautioned for FRD or delaying the restart. Why should a team be allowed to delay the restart continuously, many times in a game, forcing the attackers to ask for ten? Am I wrong? If refs are always going to side with opponents and make the attackers ask for ten, then let's get rid of the cautionable offense FRD, delays restart.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Ben:

There is a good video from USSF on managing the free kick that will help with your question.

The problem is that the kicking team is entitled to both the distance and the right to a quick free kick. So, the referee initially needs to wait and see whether the kicking team wants to take a quick kick. The referee should not automatically caution players who are less than 10 yards away.

If a team takes the kick when a defender is less than 10 yards away, the kicking team cannot complain that the defender has intercepted the ball. But, there are two situations in which the referee must act:

(1) A defender who is not in the correct position may not do something else (rush forward, stick out a leg, jump). If the defender does something that interferes with the quick free kick after it has been taken, play should be stopped and the defender cautioned.

(2) If a defender rushes to stand in front of the ball (aka the statue) to prevent a quick free kick, the kick should be held up and the defender should be cautioned.

The wise referee will be proactive from the first free kick - - particularly a restart in midfield. Use voice and presence to let everyone know that you expect player to move back ten yards. Early intervention can help the attacking team get both a quick free kick and the distance later in the match.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ben
Unfortunately this practise has become the bane of the game and most referees now go the 'ceremonial' restart on most attacking free kicks. That then eliminates the caution for delaying the restart in those situations. Teams now accept that practise unless it is done to run down the clock in the last few minutes in a tight game.
In non attacking areas teams rarely seem to want to get on with play quickly but would rather get organised. The cautions I have given here has been the player stopping a pass at a QFK restart which is now a pretty rare event or the defending player failing to move back when asked at the end of the game.
BTW this works both ways and all the teams are guilty of this. Now unless all referees adopt zero tolerance on this the referee that launches a crusade will find that he is constantly cautioning for this.
I might add that a numbers of years ago this was more of a problem for referees at least in my Leagues. I think by watching the professional game many player now follow the lead given there with the 'delay' being used to the kicking teams advantage. Very difficult for the defending side to complain about delaying the restart when they are causing it.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You are correct. These players that stand directly in front of the ball preventing a quick free kick should be cautioned. They are being taught this by coaches and the only way to stop it is by using your plastic.