Question Number: 29491

Law 13 - Free Kicks 6/21/2015

RE: Comp High School

Chris Thomas of Fairfield, CA United States asks...

Why, after a free kick is awarded, do referees allow the defending team the opportunity to stand next to the ball preventing a quick kick by the attacking team? This behavior by the referee awards the fouling team the opportunity to get their players in position for the restart kick. It allows them to benefit from their foul play. Defenders know they must be ten yards from the ball. To run up to the ball and then slowly move away is disadvantageous to the attacking team and belittles the match. I believe it to be delaying the restart and should be sanctioned as unsporting behavior. Yes, I do call it.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

As do I Clive, as do I!
While I agree that if the kick occurs and there is no affect by the disruptive actions it becomes meaningless at times to intervene. I also find that those who deliberately try to annoy the kicker or disrupt the restart require the occasional card to set the standard of non interference. I often wondered if we raised the quota of yellow cards to 3 might make awarding this particular caution easier. lol
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

Hi Chris,
at times it is a puzzle why so much latitude is shown to those who disrespect the LOTG! While the playing of a match with as little interference from the official is generally what we strive for I think at times many are remiss in their obligations to ensure a FAIR RESULT by not acting in the best interest of the game rather than just the match itself by not ensuring fair restarts. Certainly a quickly taken free kick with opponents near and it goes well is not an event to get too worked up about . However when opponents deliberately target the restart to do as you describe it is in fact a infringement and I agree, such ignoble attributes are essentially cautionable, show a yellow card to set the bar that such negligence or disrespect is not to be tolerated. I understand many officials feel it is a soft caution and to use it as a reason for a 2nd caution seems to ward off the use of the red card as having too great an impact on the match. Managing a match and guiding the players in safe and fair play can be done without the use of cards but as they are a tool sometimes you need the right tool for the job. It is a personal opinion only, but the use of foam and the ceremonial aspects now embedded in the taking of free kicks has allowed this action of delay to become even more prevalent in the mind sets of those playing at all levels of play.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Chris
Most referees only call it when it actually interferes with the restart. Many teams do not want the quick restart so while they might be thinking about the restart it may not come to pass in which case the *statute* is irrelevant.
If one watches the Pro game it happens all the time and the Pro player rarely take the QFK or if they do it is backwards or to the side with the offending player ignored.
I have also seen players kick the ball aimlessly at an opponent so as to draw a caution in these situations. I dont agree that a caution is appropriate in that instances and in fact IMO both should be cautioned one for failing to respect the 10 yards and the other for unsporting conduct.
Also many times the kicking team want the kick to be ceremonial which allows them the time to set up the free kick by bringing defenders forward. That is a slow process and if the ball is spotted the kicking team could be guilty of delaying the restart. The statue helps in those situations as by the time the players are moved 10 yards the team is ready.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Referees are not suppose to allow it. They need to learn to manage this. They can issue a yellow card but preferably use preventive officiating to prevent it from happening