Question Number: 31071

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/30/2016

RE: Grade 6 State

Mike Stebbins of Kalispell, Montana USA asks...

New rule change regarding foul by players when off the the field.Was originally a dropped ball which did not favor the team fouled. Now punishable by a free kick. My questions is the free kick direct or indirect.
If could was a direct kick foul I would assume restart would be with a DK. If for say a card only then would it be an IDFK?
Would almost seem that if it was a foul vs. misconduct that the restart would be a DK.
Thank you.
Mike Stebbins
Montana

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
The restart will be appropriate to the offence committed. For penal fouls the restart will direct free kick for the foul committed close to the touchline or goal line off the field of play. If the restart is inside the penalty area it is a penalty kick for direct free kick offences.
For IDFK offence such as PIADM that will still be an IDFK restart. Really what the law is saying that fouls that happen just off the field of play as part of play these are punished as if they happened just on the FOP in the appropriate manner.
I watched in a number of WC games where referees had awarded FK for fouls that happened off the field of play which was incorrect in law yet they were not questioned as they were seen as fouls albeit on the outside of the FOP. this makes the awards of free kicks now correct in law in such circumstances.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Mike,
It would depend on the nature of the offence. Whatever would be an IFK or DFK if committed on the field of play, would lead to the same kind of restart if committed off the field (or a penalty if a DFK offence occurs off the field immediately outside the penalty area).

There are probably only two IFK offences that might occur in this situation, PIADM or impeding without contact - but since impeding without contact almost never occurs on the field, it's unlikely to occur off the field and I would say PIADM off the field would be fairly rare as well, so in most cases you're probably going to end up with a DFK or penalty.