Question Number: 31660

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/28/2017

RE: High School

Judy of Martinsburg, WV USA asks...

Player A is running outside the Feild of play and is playing the ball which is inside the field of play, what should the referee do? Is it legal and play just continues or what?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Judy,
the player is permitted to be outside the boundary lines within REASON. As part of normal play to avoid an opponent or through momentum he might find himself in tight along the touch or goal lines and be squeezed outside to continue his run or dribble. Given he is still playing the ball or was seeking to avoid a collision we cut him slack.

This is not an infraction. Play continues!

UNLESS the player exiting the FOP does so to deceive or trick the opposition or officials by mingling with the spectators or going in behind the goal or technical areas only to stroll out on the other side unmarked. Then possibly it is cautionable behaviour as there is no direct reason to do so except to cheat!
< Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Judy
Both FIFA and NFHS treat this the same. A player may temporarily move off the field of play to play a ball on the field of play. An example would be where a player kicks the ball past an opponent on the touchline and then runs around the opponents off the field of play to follow the ball. That is not an offence.
If however in the unlikely event that a player has say deliberately moved off the field of play, stayed off to gain an advantage and then sneakily returns then that is unsporting and the player is cautioned. An example would be a player running behind the goal posts at a corner kick. That should not be allowed as it is not a genuine playing movement.
FIFA has in the past two years made significant changes to the restarts in situations where a player is *fouled* off the field of play. Should that now happen the restart is a direct free kick on the sideline closest to where the offence took place and that can be a penalty kick if such a foul happened just off the goal line behind the penalty area.
Also a player temporarily off the field of play either the referees permission who return without permission and who interferes with play is cautioned and in FIFA it is now a direct free kick or penalty kick.
NFHS has not made any changes as yet in respect of same.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Judy,
In the situation you describe, the player's actions are legal and the referee should allow play to continue. A player is allowed to leave the field if it is part of a normal playing movement.

My colleagues have given examples of when a player leaving the field might be considered a sanctionable offence but none of those scenarios would seem to apply in this instance.