Question Number: 33408

Law 8 - The Start and Restart of Play 6/1/2019

RE: 8 Under 11

Bob Healy of Whitman, MA USA asks...

Is there a new rule concerning drop ball

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bob
Yes there are a number of new amendments to the Laws including one to the dropped ball procedure.
From competitions that have or will start after the 1st June the dropped ball restart will become uncontested.
If a DB is necessary inside the penalty area the goalkeeper will be given possession of the ball. Outside the penalty area the ball will be given to the team that last touched the ball and the opponents must remain 4.5 yards away.
IFAB the Law making body is of the opinion that the current dropped ball procedure often leads to a *manufactured* restart which can be exploited unfairly (e.g. kicking the ball out for a throw-in deep in the opponents' half) or an aggressive confrontation. Returning the ball to the team that last played it restores what was *lost* when play was stopped, except in the penalty area where it is simpler to return the ball to the goalkeeper. To prevent that team gaining an unfair advantage, all players of both teams, except the player receiving the ball, must be at least 4m (4.5 yds) away.
In addition if the ball now hits a match official and as a result the ball changes possession the game is stopped for a DB and the ball given back to the team that last touched it. If it has no impact in play the game continues
This situation will not happen again
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e2jOfdANZ-M
At present it is a goal and under the new amendment it is a dropped ball to the goalkeeper.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Bob,
The procedure for dropped balls is one of several changes in the laws that come into effect for competitions starting after June 1. Ref McHugh has outlined the changes already but I would just mention that in addition to a dropped ball being awarded when the ball hits a match official and possession changes, it is also a dropped ball if a promising attack starts or a goal is scored as a result of such ball/match official contact.

The explanation for this particular part of the changes is that:

''It can be very unfair if a team gains an advantage or scores a goal because the ball has hit a match official, especially the referee.''