Question Number: 35286

Law 8 - The Start and Restart of Play 12/17/2023

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

Hello,

I have one "decision vs. whistling" question please.

Situation: I decide to award Team A the dropped ball for the last touch. Team B touches the ball before the whistle blows.

So the general question is, is it my mind or the whistle that is decisive?

In my observation, professional referees approach it differently. :-)

Thank you very much!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Petr,
To be decisive, when stopping play for a decision that requires a drop ball, we need to be correct/ Let us ask WHY? What is the fairest decision?

It takes a moment to assess or process any given situation.
ANY decision to stop play, OCCURS PRIOR to the whistle!

We generally try to avoid quick whistles because in many situations we are in a wait and see what develops mode.

Only extreme or VC red card situations require the match to stop on the proverbial dime!

Example
(A) Blue shoots a hard shot from 30 yards. but it hits you the referee, just outside the PA, deflects to the red keeper who reacts to save & pushes ball away .
(a1) You blow for a stoppage?
Same situation except blue scored after it hit you the referee deflects to the red keeper who who reacts to save, touches the ball but fails to stop the goal!
(a2) You blow for a stoppage?

Same situation as above except you the referee are INSIDE the PA when the ball hits you
(B)Blue shoots a hard shot from 30 yards, but it hits you the referee, inside the PA, deflects to the red keeper who reacts to save & pushes ball away
(b1)You blow for a stoppage?
Same situation except blue scored after it hit you but red is upset!
(b2) You blow for a stoppage?

Now are you going to DB to red keeper or to blue whose shot you blocked?

A1 answer
Red keeper last touched the ball, but blocked shot by blue was REASON to stop!
So blue DB outside the red PA
A2 answer
You still have have options to consider, even though the ball is technically now out of play before you whistled as it resides inside the netted area of the goal into touch for a goal/no goal?
If you nullify the goal as it was the original contact OUTSIDE that created the reason to stop play even if red keeper got a touch after before it crossed the goal line it cannot be a corner kick . . So blue DB outside the red PA.
For it to be a kick off for Red, awarding the goal in favour of blue the ball grazing/touching the referee would have to had NO effect on the outcome of play either affecting the balls trajectory or red keeper's ability to stop the goal. That seems unlikely but perhaps not !
If you accept the DB incident originated outside the PA then a DB to the BLUE team is the only legal restart . Blue will be disappointed but Red will be less inclined to go nuts then if you awarded the goal ! !

b1 & b2 answers
DB to red keeper for an incident inside their own PA is the only suitable restart despite Blue is the team likely disadvantaged as the LOTG state that is the only option!

Cheers and Merry Christmas

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr

There is an old saying that the whistle is only the signal of the decision. So the referee has made a decision that is all that matters. The whistle simply stops the game.
In many instances there is no appreciable difference between the two. In your example there is a difference in that the referee has decided to stop play which is the decision and the whistle is the signal of that.
So the ball at the restart goes to Team A even though the ball was touched by Team B before the whistle.

The challenge may be convincing Team B that the ball is going to Team A when they will feel the game was stopped after they last touched the ball.

Players will not understand the nuance of the difference between the decision and the whistle yet ultimately it makes no difference as the referee’s decision is final. The ball goes to Team A.

In many ways the so called Fair Play restart caused this particular issue for the game as in days gone by the restart would have been a contested drópped ball and no decision was required. Two players contested the restart and the ball was in play when it touched the ground.

My advice to referees is to not get too hung up on the restart in uncertain situations as sure if its inside the penalty area the goalkeeper gets its and I see the odd DB that still gets kicked back as the team who got the ball believed the opponents should have the ball perhaps due to them stopping play for their players injury. In other situations I see referees lose focus on who had the ball and in one recent game I saw a contested DB as the referee could not make up his mind. Lol

If there is doubt or uncertainty then I suggest going with the least contentious decision of perhaps giving it to the defending team in the the last third. Also except for a head injury a referee might wait a few seconds and see what happens which may help with a clear restart location and team.

If I have decided Team A is getting the ball then that is the decision no matter what happened after my decision.