Question Number: 27545

Law 15 - Throw In 6/23/2013

RE: Select Under 11

Larry Kap of Middletown, PA UDA asks...

The ball is thrown in but never enters the field of play. My understanding was that the restart was a throw in by he same team. I had a coach tell me today that FIFA changed that and the ball should be awarded to the other team for a throw in. Is that true? Has a change been made and if so, when does it go into effect?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Larry,

Like most things you can safely ignore the coach on this one! If the throw is taken correctly but does not enter the FOP, then that team retakes.

If it's a foul throw anyway then the other team gets the ball. Also, if the ball so much as swerves above the line then back out, then the ball is in play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Larry
No change in Law 15 in recent years so the coach is incorrect. As the TI has not entered the field of play by crossing the plane of the touch line the throw in is taken by the same team at the same location. There is also the proviso that the TI has to be taken correctly as if it is not it is turned over for being incorrectly taken as distinct from not entering the FOP.
For me though it has to be pretty obvious. If the thrower is standing on the line there is every chance that the plane was crossed at the point of the TI. Without neutral ARs who can confirm for certain that the plane has not been crossed I turn it over. I always find that the next TI by the player on that side does not go as tight to the line again.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

FIFA didn't change it, but it's been that way in NFHS (high school) rules for a long time. It came about because some HS players were deliberately 'missing' the field to use up time. Since the ref can't add time for wastage in a HS game, they came up with turning the ball over to the opponents.

There was a change in FIFA about 5 years back now that if the ball didn't come in and throw-in was not taken correctly, it would be turned over to the opponents. It was included in the Interpretations and Guidelines section of the Laws of the Game.