Question Number: 30908

Law 5 - The Referee 10/17/2016

RE: High School Varsity High School

Josh of Warren, Pa USA asks...

During a game, an attacking player kicked a ball that hit a defending player in the left elbow. The referee blew his whistle (for a handball in the box), both teams stopped playing, and the attacking player then kicked the ball into the net. The attacking player was awarded the goal for 'continuation and advantage'. What is the correct ruling for this? Should the play have been declared dead due to the whistle and the attacking team be awarded a penalty kick?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Of course the other question is whether or not this even was deliberate handling. 'The ball hit an elbow' does not describe the action sufficiently to make a determination here. I'm assuming there was some reason for the ref to make the call in the first place.

If the call was incorrect, then because the whistle blew, the only possible restart is a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Josh,
you are spot on in my opinion.
I can tell you I am no expert in USA high school rules but there is ZERO legality in a referee actually blowing his whistle to stop play for a penal foul of handles the ball deliberately, whether it was or was not a true hand to ball moment given your description of a ball kicked into an elbow, but foul recognition aside . Once a referee HAS awarded this foul . Blown the whistle, play is OVER. A PK given this was in the penalty area is the ONLY choice this referee has. You can NO longer play advantage, this is in my opinion a protestable situation that could possibly be upheld in a review board?
IF the referee had seen this as a foul but HELD his whistle and waited a moment THEN advantage could apply and a goal permitted. It is why a referee should NOT carry a whistle in his mouth and is referred to as swallowing the whistle to await an outcome.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Josh
As play has been stopped due to the referee using his whistle no further play can happen. The game us restarted with the reason play was stopped which in this case a direct free kick or penalty kick. As play has been stopped advantage CANNOT be played. If the referee wanted to play advantage then all he had to do was allow play to continue with no whistle.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Josh,

Once the referee blows the whistle, play is deemed to have stopped. The referee cannot then 'unblow' the whistle and allow play to continue.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Josh,
As is indicated in NFHS Rule 9, when the referee sounds a whistle, the ball is out of play. Thus, no goal should have been scored and the referee was incorrect. The restart should have been a drop ball is neither team was in possession when the whistle sounded or an indirect kick if a player had possession. I hope that the remainder of the season goes well and that your team makes it to Hershey.