Question Number: 30459

Law 13 - Free Kicks 5/28/2016

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

Two separate questions about referee error, please.

1) Ceremonial INDFK. Referee blows whistle. First player taps the ball, but it clearly moves slightly. 2nd player kicks ball over the wall. GK, who couldn't see the actual kick because of the wall, sees that the referee still has his arm up (I know...bad mechanics). GK lets the ball go into the goal untouched.

Referee allows the goal. GK tells referee he was misled because of the arm up?

What should the referee do?

2) 2nd different scenario. Referee awards INDFK, when it should be a DFK. Kicker scores directly from the kick. Referee then realizes his mistake. What result? Does it matter whether referee had his arm up the whole time or whether the kicking team took a quick free kick?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
The arm signal is to inform that the kick is indirect. Once the ball is kicked and moved the ball is in play so the raised arm by the referee makes no difference. It is up the GK to see that the ball was kicked. If he missed the kick that put it in play then tough luck. Goal is good.
On the second one if the referee signalled that it was an indirect free kick then a goal cannot be scored. If the referee has made an error in the signal the free kick is retaken.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil ,
the neutral referee tries to provide clear signals as to who takes the kick, when it can be taken and from where. The INDFK hand raise is lowered once the referee sees the ball as having been touched a second time . The fact that teams can go quickly might force an Illusionary or only a partial hand raise if their is insufficient time to realize what is occurring and the ball gets a second touch almost immediately. No law is broken if a keeper is unaware the ball was legally put into play

A referee can not change the LOTG to make a goal count if the ball was not put legally into play or incorrectly signalled as something else.
IF the signal shown publically is incorrect or the referee admits to the fact the restart was incorrect before the next restart the free kick should be performed correctly.
cheers