Question Number: 33563

Law 18 - Common Sense 8/8/2019

RE: youth soccer recreational Under 13

almarosa moreno of monrovia, ca usa asks...

1. Not considering the special case of a penalty, can you give 3 times that a free kick is taken from the a spot other than where the offense occurred?

2. Assitant referee should normally be positioned on the offside line ( second to last defender, ball or halfway line) What is an example of when that is not the proper position for the AR?

3. What are the restarts that does not have a prohibition on a player touching the ball a second time.


Thanks for your help

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Almarosa moreno,

(A1)free kicks generally occur from the spot of the infraction but there are a few oddities that permit a free kick offence to occur outside the FOP. If this does occur the free kick location is brought to the nearest boundary line from where the act occurred.

(A2)Another oddity is if a attacking INDFK occurs inside the opposition 6 yard goal area (illegal use of hands by the keeper say on a passback) that free kick albeit INDFK can only occur on the outer edge of the 6 yard goal area line that runs parallel to the goal line

(A3)In the opposing vein of thought ANY outgoing free kick, be it a DFK or INDFK that occurs inside the defenders'6 yard goal area, the restart location can occur ANYWHERE inside that 6 yard goal area.

(A4) Actually Law 13 gives a condensed rational

All free kicks are taken from the place where the offence occurred, except:
# indirect free kicks to the attacking team for an offence inside the opponents'
goal area are taken from the nearest point on the goal area line which runs
parallel to the goal line
# free kicks to the defending team in their goal area may be taken from
anywhere in that area
# free kicks for offences involving a player entering, re-entering or leaving
the field of play without permission are taken from the position of the ball
when play was stopped. However, if a player commits an offence off the field
of play, play is restarted with a free kick taken on the boundary line nearest
to where the offence occurred; for direct free kick offences, a penalty kick is
awarded if this is within the offender's penalty area
#  where the Law designates another position (see Laws 3, 11, 12)

(B) ARs must react to ongoing play. The Offside is a major responsibility but so too is the ball itself for In or Out of play . Once the ball squirts past ahead of the players the AR should pursue said ball as now the ball itself is the offside line and the AR must determine if the ball stays in or goes out of play or perhaps that ball might be handled by the keeper outside the area? Staying with the 2nd last defender will not be the correct position at these times if the ball is in behind & closer to the goal line. On PKs the AR usually changes his touchline position for one near the edge of the 18 along the goal line to help deal with keeper off the line or ball in or out. He moves back out after the penalty kick to look for offside or take the stance for a kick off if the PK is successful.

(C) The drop ball is the only restart I know of? EVERY other restart be it a direct free kick, PK, indirect free kick, throw in, kick off, & goal kick, have a potential for a 2nd touch violation.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
1. The ones I can think of are
A. A free kick inside the goal area can be taken from anywhere inside the goal area.
B. A free kick awarded for an offence off the field of play is moved to the boundary line on the FOP not where the offence took place.
C. The IDFK for a player entering the field of play without permission. The free kick is taken from where the ball was when play was stopped not where the offence took place. Assuming of course there was no interference by the player.
2. At a penalty kick when the AR is on the goal line looking for the ball crossing the goal line and encroachment.
3. The only restart where a double touch is permitted is at a dropped ball. All other restarts require that a player only touches / plays the ball once.