Question Number: 30634

Law 13 - Free Kicks 7/26/2016

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30631

While I understand Referee McHugh's explanation, I'm wondering why there's no comment as to Red 8's hard kick. I can see the restart & the caution to Purple, but just as a throw-in at an opponent is lawful, throwing with excessive force wouldn't be or directly at someone's face wouldn't be...even if they hadn't respected the 2 yards.

I certainly wouldn't red card the kicker for violent conduct,(it's not a foul, as the ball isn't in play), but I can see having a stern word him Red 8.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
If Purple, the free kick taker, used excessive force to kick the ball at Red using the ball as a weapon then it is violent conduct and the player is dismissed. The restart does not change.
Now in the question I interpreted the word TO as not AT the player in a VC manner so it was kicked like any regular free kick restart. The effort used has to be interpreted as to what was intended ie perhaps the distance of the pass. If the action was done in an unsporting manner without excessive force as a reaction to the foul then it is a caution for Red for USB. Again the restart does not change.