Question Number: 29379

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 5/2/2015

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29374

What would you do if the ball goes over the touch line & the opposing team quickly takes a throw-in before you see the AR's flag? If you didn't signal for a throw-in, can you still go back to the penalty kick?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
Technically in Law once the game restarts the referee cannot go back. However on any quick restart the referee can stop play immediately and cite that he did not give permission. We have alll been in that situation where play has restarted yet we stop immediately because of some issue that we want to deal with.
If play was to continue for a short period then the only possible restart is a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil,
Yes although it is a matter of timing. No referee should allow a restart without eye contact to BOTH ARs. At the elite level they have microphones and head sets. At the recreational level we have common sense and a voice lol As my colleague Ref McHUGH suggests if we did not give permission then it did not occur if we recall it within a few moments. You let play go on for a bit and only then looked back and saw a flag you have waited TOO long, bad communication , no pk , a drop ball and you have some explaining to do! Note though if there was a caution or red card event that could still be shown and acted upon.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If you as referee accepted that the throw-in was the proper restart, then that's the way it stands.

If you didn't have time to consider whether the restart was proper or not, you can bring it back.

Otherwise think about this. Red kicks the ball out. An enterprising Red player picks it up and throws it back in. The restart has happened, so you're stuck with it, right? Of course not.

Although as I recall, that's the origin of the terms 'touch line' and 'in touch'. Way back when, under some incarnation of the rules that eventually evolved into FIFA, the first player to 'touch' the ball after it went out was entitled to the restart. Fun, huh?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

If the referee signals and restarts with a throw in, then it is too late to go back. The AR on the other side should have mirrored the far AR and there would not have been a problem. This is just bad overall communication on the part of the referees.