Question Number: 31617

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/22/2017

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

The LOTG do not appear to indicate the kind of restart (IFK / DFK / Drop ball) for the specific following scenario.

What is the restart (INDFK / DFK / Drop ball) if a substitute committed a VC action when the ball is in play and is either:

A) Against a player on the FOP, or

B) Against a player off the FOP, or

C) Against another sub or team official on match sheet (same team or not) off the FOP, or

D) anyone else (on/off the FOP)

Location I assume is at location of ball when play was stopped.
Is the restart an Indirect or direct FK (penalty), drop ball?

(Ideally, we would wait for the ball to be out of play and have a restart based on reason for the stoppage so as to avoid the restart question).

I cannot find the answer in the current LOTG.

Regards

Russell

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Russell,
the LOTG treat all bench personal as if they are players when it comes to restarts affecting actual opponents or play. Its a bit shy of content on an outside agent other than if a player did VC against outside agent on the FOP it is a drop ball. Our heads spin at bit at the permutations of what if?
NOT only is it illegal for a sub to enter without permission as a separate restart possibility so too a player off the FOP with permission is also banned from entering the FOP. It is also an INDFK offence if say he kicked the ball now kicking an outside agent for only a drop ball because it is only the outside agent we are stopping for, Or if a player irritated at say a yapping spectator LEFT the FOP to attack an outside agent that too is an INDFK restart for exiting without permission. Sigh well you get the idea.


Thus
(a) VC = red card send off reduces the allowable number of substitutes but not the number of substitutions DFK or PK location point of contact
(b)VC = red card send off reduces the allowable number of substitutes but not the number of substitutions the restart could be either INDFK at ball location or DFK thus PK depending on location and the reasons why the opponent is outside the FOP
(c)VC = red card send off reduces the allowable number of substitute players but not the number of substitutions the restart is likely a drop ball from where the ball was when play was stopped
(d) VC = red card send off reduces the allowable number of substitutes but not the number of substitutions the restart is a drop ball off the fop but possible indfk on the FOP as it is illegal to enter the FOP by a substitute
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
Thanks for the question. the Laws are clear on some it is somewhat woolly on some of the restarts
The answers IMHO are as follows:
A. The restart is a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on the location of the offence
B. If the player is off the FOP for a reason such as treatment to an injury the restart is an DFK from the boundary line as in the case where the player is participating in play close to the line the restart would be a direct free kick on the line.
C. The restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.
D. The restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped if the offence happened off the field of play. When it happens on the FOP we have to be cognisant that the substitute has entered illegally which is an offence in its own right which has an IDFK restart.
It would be helpful that once the outside agent enters the field of play if that happens first the best decision will be to stop play which then has a dropped ball restart. The question then does not arise.

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

See Question: 31622