Question Number: 30710

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/2/2016

RE: Competitive Adult

Jack of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

In previous editions of the Laws of the Game, when substitutes threw objects onto the field of play when the ball was in play, the object was treated as an extension of the hand and the substitute was deemed to have entered the field of play. Therefore, the restart was an indirect free kick from where the ball was located when play was stopped, in accordance with Law 3.

In the 2016/17 edition, the two seemingly contradictory statements are issued:

'play is restarted with an indirect free kick if a: ... substitute or substituted player throws an object at an opponent standing inside the field of play'

' If play is stopped and the interference was by ... a ... substitute, substituted or sent off player, play restarts with a direct free kick or penalty kick'

So I have the following questions. What are the restart and sanction if, when the ball is in play, a substitute:
- standing on the field of play, throws a water bottle at an opponent standing in the substitute's penalty area?
- standing off the field of play, throws a water bottle at an opponent standing in the substitute's penalty area?
- standing on the field of play, strikes an opponent standing in the substitute's penalty area with a held water bottle?
- standing on the field of play, throws a water bottle at the ball in the substitute's penalty area?
- standing off the field of play, throws a water bottle at the ball in the substitute's penalty area?
- standing on the field of play, strikes the ball with a held water bottle in the substitute's penalty area?

I'm confident that I could answer all of these correctly for the previous edition of the Laws (the restarts would all be an indirect free kick from where the ball was located when play was stopped, and the sanction would be at least a caution, and a sending-off if excessive force was used / DOGSO when handling throwing an object at the ball), but I'm not so sure anymore!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jack
Play is restarted with an indirect free kick if a:
# player standing inside the field of play throws an object at any person outside the field of play
# substitute or substituted player throws an object at an opponent standing inside the field of play
In addition if play is stopped and the interference was by:
# a team official, substitute, substituted or sent off player, play restarts with a direct free kick or penalty kick
So we can take it that if the substitute, substituted player is off the FOP the restart is an IDFK from where the ball was when play was stopped. If the substitute, substituted player is on the FOP the restart is a DFK / Penalty from where the offence took place.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jack,
The fact is red card misconduct is always is a consideration for ANY acts of violence. If there is NO legal play almost any acts of this nature are send off offences. When the act COULD be legal only then is a caution warranted in my opinion
WHEN THE BALL IS INPLAY!
The new LOTG make players responsible on or off the FOP for their actions as DFK/pk as on the FOP or its closest point, rather then INDFKs. The fact is that non players can NOW create DFKS PKs same as players for acts only ON the FOP.
The INDFK from ball location is... Only.. if this does not occur on the FOP!
However once they enter the FOP the misconduct is upgraded to DFK or PK as IF they were players is a huge difference from past LOTG and is simple justice.
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 30717

See Question: 30718

See Question: 30733