Question Number: 27346

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 4/23/2013

RE: Competitive Under 19

Ken Ross of Manhattan, Kansas USA asks...

Play is into the penalty area and a collision with the keeper occurs. Play is stopped with a whistle. Keeper is checked out and can continue. Restart is with a dropped ball. If the attacking team wants to contest for the dropped ball, is it sporting to allow the contesting for the dropped ball, or is it best to loudly announce that the dropped ball should be controlled by the defending team, whose keeper was momentarily shaken up? I am of the opinion that at competitive level time can be added and that the defending team should be allowed to possess the ball in its own penalty area, providing it is not time wasting.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

As a referee, you cannot decide who will or will not take part at a dropped ball. You can use your strong personality to suggest to players that they do the right thing, but you cannot force it. If a team chooses not to allow a sporting restart, that is their right. Know that the rest of the game isn't likely to be easy.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

The referee cannot enforce sportsmanship. Just like he cannot make a team throw the ball to the opponents after it was kicked out for an injury, he also cannot restrict the numbers at a dropped ball.

If the attacking team wants to challenge then they can do so and the referee cannot stop it.

Having said that, there are ways to steer a drop ball towards a desirable objective. For instance, if the attacking team isn't already at the drop ball location then you can drop the ball to the keeper's feet before they've had the opportunity to move into a position to contest. You may be able to do this before they've even had the chance to think about what they want to do.

If you don't have that opportunity and they want to contest you have to allow it. You can suggest they allow the sporting restart, but can't demand it.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ken
For us referees that have been around long enough all dropped balls used to be contested. That all changed with the advent of the Fair Play restart of giving the ball back to the team in possession in injury situations. I believe it began to take prominence in the 1982 World Cup and it has been a feature of the game. I note now though a growing trend of these Fair Play situations having the opposite effect and in fact cause greater problems. the recent goal that was scored uncontested on a dropped ball in the Champions League is an example
So it has become a feature of play yet the only Law change that refers to this is that a goal cannot be scored directly from a dropped ball restart which happened is 2012. Other than that there is no change to the DB law
So while the referee may suggest a fair play restart, to restore the possession to the team in possession, he may not insist on it. My advice is to ask both teams what is planned at the dropped ball and to then ensure that both teams know what will happen. If it is being contested so be it. Set up the dropped ball restart in such a way that it will cause as least difficulty for the game as possible and get on with play.