Question Number: 27920

Law 15 - Throw In 10/22/2013

RE: SELECT Under 17

Dan Baldwin of Boonsboro, MD USA asks...

law 15 What is the maximum approach distance a player may take before correctly releasing the ball and what is the restart.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dan
A player may throw the ball from where the ball left the field of play. Discretion of one yard is generraly given. Now can we determine with great accuracy that exact point? Probably not and it is up to the referee to determine the location.
If the throw in is taken from the wrong location the TI is turned over to the opponents from the location of the original throw in.
My experience is that only blatant breaches of the location are punished with a turnover.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

There is no limit how far back a player may start his run-up to throw the ball. (Of course the player must remain inside the boundaries of the field, for example inside the advertising boards in a stadium.)

But the ball must be released when the player is within 1 yard/meter of the spot the ball went out - laterally up or down the line, or 1 yard back from the line. Referees often treat longer distances as trifling before calling it a bad throw, especially if the player is making a good-faith effort to find the spot where the ball went out.

The problem with taking the throw too far back from the line is that the opponents won't be expecting the throw to be taken when the player is that far back.