Question Number: 14966

Law 5 - The Referee 3/9/2007

RE: Rec - AYSO Under 15

Sparky Silling of Albuquerque, New Mexico USA asks...

In the USSF Advice to Referees, section 5.6, it talks about the 2-3 seconds while the ref is waiting to see if advantage develops after a foul. "If the ball goes out of play during this time, then play must be restarted in accordance with the Law." I assume they mean a throw-in, etc., as though the foul had not occurred.

Is this the right interpretation? If there is a foul, and the ball happens to go out of play immediately afterwards, it doesn't quite seem fair for the ref to ignore the foul simply because he/she was waiting for advantage to develop.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Sparky I read you asking: Is the policy of US Soccer, as stated in ATR 5.6, correct? Is that a correct read?

If so, then the answer is yes, the policy of US Soccer, as stated in their publications, is what they want their referees to adhere to. So if you play advantage and the ball leaves the park you just lost the ability to take the free kick. If you are thinking you see a foul and the time lag between your thought and the whistle sounding allows the ball to leave the park we have a whole different story. Howcum? You stopped things in your mind! Then you told everyone what you did. Play stops when your head tells you; not when your whistle tells them.

Regards,