Question Number: 15247

Law 13 - Free Kicks 4/23/2007

RE: Recreation Under 14

Greg Ballou of Cincinnati, OH USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 14620

On the indirect free kick. [14620] If the player touches the ball and a second player then kicks it but the ref stops play and rules that a "kicking motion" was not applied, what are the restart procedures? Does the same team get a second attempt at the indirect?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Why would the referee stop play for this? If the first touch was not a kick, then surely the second one was. The referee had better keep his hand up in the air to indicate that he hasn't yet seen a second touch of the ball. I can just see this ball going into the goal, and all the hubbub that will arise when the referee says no goal because there was only one touch. If his arm is in the air, at least those who are paying any attention will know his decision before the net is stretched outwards.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If the ball has not been kicked and moved by the "kicking motion" then play has not restarted. When it is kicked and moved then play has restarted. The referee holds his arm in the air until the ball touches another player. Once that happens a goal may be scored even though the ball has been in play since it was kicked and moved. If the player kicking and moving the ball touches the ball a second time [except with his hands] before it has touched another player there has been an infraction of Law 8 or 13 or 14 or 16 or 17 and an indirect free kick is awarded his opponents to be taken from the point of the touch subject tot he special circumstances of Law 8.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this question. If the referee blew the whistle after determining that play had not yet restarted then... The proper action for the referee would be to have the same restart as was established when the ball last went out of play. Basically it's a do-over. The ball had not been put into play, so how can you punish them for an improper restart, as this was not a throw-in?

If you're saying that the referee thought the first touch was not in play and the 2nd one was, then the referee should not have stopped the game, as no violation has occured and the ball is in play.

I do not see a reason to stop play here, though I answer at the very top of this response based on the facts you have presented.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No stopping of play here. First player touched ball but it didn't move or wasn't, in the opinion of the referee, "kicked and moved". Referee keeps arm in air. Second player kicks and moves the ball. Referee still has hand in air. Goal may not be scored directly by second player. If second player kicks ball into net, restart is a goal kick. A proactive referee may consider yelling "ball not moved or ball not in play" after the first player touches the ball. If the referee blew his whistle after the first player touched the ball, he could order a retake of the IFK because the ball was not yet in play.