Question Number: 27427

Law 15 - Throw In 5/15/2013

RE: competative Under 16

michelle livesey of geraldton, western australia australia asks...

When taking a thrown in Fifa rules state that when taking a thrown in you may stand either behind the line or on the line. What if a player is standing on the line but the front half of the players foot is on the field of play. Is this classed as handball as they are technically in the field of play or is this allowed in the rules of a thrown?

thank you,

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Michelle,

As the law states 'on or behind' as opposed to 'not in front', that means that if the players toes are on the field but the heel is on the line then there is no problem. Technically if that player lifts his heel off the line then he's no longer 'off the line', but most referees will probably ignore this as trifling.

So as long as a tiny part of the players frontmost foot is still on the line then that aspect of the throw in has been taken legally.

You're correct that this could mean a player is still handling the ball while it's on the line, thus in the field of play - but until the ball has been released from the hands, it is not actually in play. So that's how the laws get around your concern - you cannot be guilty of deliberately handling while the ball is still out of play. So considering the laws require the throw to be taken by the hands, we don't worry about the fact that the ball can be on the field by the time it's released.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

While the Laws do not specifically state it, the ball is not in play until it has been released from the thrower's hands - in addition to having crossed the touch line. So no handling is called.

Law 15 does say that *part* of each foot must be on the ground *on or behind* the line when the ball is thrown. This means that the [other] part of the foot can be across the line and the throw is still legal.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Michelle
When taking a throw in the player must have her feet either on or behind the touch line. If a foot is completely over the line that is an incorrectly taken throw in and the throw in is turned over to the opponents from the same location. If any part of the foot is on the line that is legal.
Only when the ball is correctly in play can an offence be committed on the field of play. Also advantage cannot be played on an incorrectly taken throw in.