Question Number: 28472

Law 15 - Throw In 6/3/2014

RE: Amateur Adult

Padraig of Sydney, nSW Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 28166

Hi,

Has the throw in rule changed in the last ten years or so?
I believe that you can throw the ball downwards now as previous throw ins were not an advantage. This would mean throwing the ball from the top or your head or releasing it not from the back of your head.
The FIFA soccer game in 2008 had this with players throwing the ball downwards.
Ref's don't seem to know about this at all and I got a yellow today for telling a ref about it.
Cheers,

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Padraig
The only recent change to the Law 15 Throw in was in 2008 when it was amended from ''uses both hands'' to ''holds the ball with both hands''. Other than that it has been the same for many years. As regards throwing the ball from behind the head that is still the requirement in law. So the ''spike' throw downwards is still deemed to be illegal.
I have noticed in recent time at the Pro level players releasing the ball more towards the top/ front of the head. That is technically incorrect but as it is difficult to discern as the ball is not thrown down and with many Pro players ignoring the ''foul throw'' it is seen as trifling by many referees.
I certainly would not base any law change advice on a computer game. The only source of Law changes is the Laws of the Game booklet as published by FIFA on behalf of IFAB the law makers. Referees are kept up to date annually on any law change and I suspect that a referee would not take kindly to be told that he was wrong and that the law was changed when it has not been.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

A 'spike' has long been considered a foul throw.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 28482