Question Number: 28972

Law 15 - Throw In 11/11/2014

RE: Adult

Clive Evans of Pranburi, Prachuapkhirikhan Thailand asks...

When the ball goes out for a throw in why do officials permit the throw to be taken at another point from where the ball went out? I saw a recent English premier league game where the ball went out after hitting the corner flag but the assistant watched the throw being taken level with the edge of the penalty area thus disadvantaging those opponents who were positioned to defend the throw as if it were taken from the correct position.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Clive,
The LOTG do indicate the throw in should take place where the ball exits the FOP!
quote FIFA (Procedure
At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower:
• delivers the ball from the point where it left the field of play.) end quote FIFA


As to why? Best ask the official directly!
The referee should indicate the position of the throw in properly!
Taking the throw -in from the exact spot maybe unnecessary, there is room for a yard or two perhaps a bit more in the defensive end of things, however as an attacking throw in, 18 yards is a long way and not trifling given the angle of a long throw in towards the penalty area.
Could the ball have been out further up and curved back in?

It is not the AR by the way, it is the referee permitting the throw in to take place as this is his match, his decision, his reputation on display here! I always indicate when discussing other officials, they are in fact a match condition where their decisions good or bad, clear or hazy! They are at least hopefully consistent so the two teams are fairly treated to the same conditions!
Who knows if in that next match, another official might not be more or less accommodating the next time!

For what it is worth I agree with you the inconsistency in throw ins stems from many considering this restart structure as unimportant and trifling to its impact. Often it's importance as a tactical advantage is missed!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Clive
What you saw and described is a practise that has been ignored by many officials over the years. The main cause is that at the Pro level many officials see the issue as trifling, as the teams don't complain so it is just let slide. As long as there is consistency in that it works both ways teams just ignore and don't complain to the referee. Teams in this situation may not want to press that high up the field so players may not complain and may rather want to challenge in more space than the corner area will allow.
There is also an anomaly in that some also believe that if a player goes towards his own goal to take a throw in he has not gained an advantage whereas in fact he has in that there is significantly more space there for gaining uncontested control of the ball. Again that is ignored sometimes.
Interestingly enough at the lower levels of the game it is enforced somewhat more rigorously as teams do complain about TI positions. I spend a great deal of time responding to requests to enforce the correct location which I do. I guess that if that constant pressure from players was not there I might be more relaxed about it also.
BTW I have watched Pro games where the TI location has been enforced strictly such as in games with long throw experts. Around mid way teams get more animated about location and don't like players crossing the half way line on TIs. Also near the end of the game players wanting to run down the clock pay more attention to this.