Question Number: 32492

6/5/2018

RE: Travel, tournament play Under 13

Ethyn Fleischman of Indianapolis, Indiana United States of America asks...

Hello,
I was referring a match and awarded a penalty kick when the kick was taken the ball bounced off the cross bar back to the player who took the kick innitially then scored off the rebound
I called the goal back and awarded an indirect kick to the opposing team from the spot where the player scored from

Was this he right call?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ethyn,
as long as the ball did not contact the keeper, even if accidently and the ball only came back off the woodwork, his second touch is an INDFK violation for playing the ball twice after the restart. It appears you were spot on mate so well done! Your INDFK placement would indeed be from where the 2nd touch occurred subject of course unless if it was inside the goal area then it brought straight back along the top edge of the goal area line parallel 6 yards to the actual goal line itself.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ethyn
Yes 100 % correct call. It is deemed a technical double touch as the ball has not touched another player which includes the goalkeeper. The restart is an indirect free kick from where the ball was touched for a second time by the kicker.
There would have been no infringement had the ball rebounded from the goalkeeper or played by another player.
As to the merits of such decisions I always opined that such actions were unintentional and a player could not do it if he tried. As a result it is a harsh call which is probably why you ask yet one that under the Law the referee has no option but to call as an IDFK offence.
I think at some point it might get changed as it is not the intention of the double touch law to punish such lottery circumstances yet as it stands the law clearly says that at a restart the player must not touch the ball for a second time until it has been touched played by another player.