Question Number: 29701

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 9/14/2015

RE: select Under 12

Mary Ramirez-de-Arellano of DAMASCUS, Maryland USA asks...

You answered my previous question almost completely. It was question about restarting a game when a player has gone down while his teammate is dribbling the ball toward the goal.
If the player with the ball dribbling toward the goal is inside the penalty area when I whistle to stop the game for an injury where does the drop ball, or alternately the indirect free kick occur? At the top of the penalty box nearest where the ball was at the time of the whistle or exactly where the ball was at the time of the whistle?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It would be best to avoid that situation entirely. Either stop for the injury before the player gets near to the penalty area, or wait a few more moments to see what happens.

But since that's not always possible - what if he takes 12 shots that bounce off the keeper or the goal? - then if play is stopped when the ball is in the PA, the dropped ball is at that spot. If the ball was inside the goal area, then the location of the dropped ball is moved out to the nearest point on the 6 yard line.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Mary,

It doesn't matter where the play is or what the situation is. If you stop play for an injury, the restart is a drop ball where the ball is. The only exception is if the ball is inside the Goal Area, in which case you'll take it directly out to the edge of the Goal Area. So if it's within the Penalty Area but not the Goal Area, the drop ball is still where the ball was.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mary,
for drop ball or indfk the restart is where the ball is in or out side the PA BUT ONLY if inside the 6 yard goal area is it a changed location due to the special circumstances of the goal area. As suggested there are ways to manage injury restarts to be the least harmful or non impacting such as a quicker stop before the ball is inside the penalty area or if not plausible, nothing in law prevents you from dropping the ball to the keeper inside the PA . You cannot force the opposition NOT to participate but you can drop the ball shall we say unexpectedly.
Cheers