Question Number: 15791

Law 13 - Free Kicks 6/13/2007

RE: Rec Under 13

Bradley of Okotoks, Alberta Canada asks...

Our goalie with the ball in his hands stepped outside the box when kicking the ball downfeild and the ref awarded the other team a direct kick. Before we had a chance to get back to form a wall, or our goalie knew what was going on, the other team kicked the ball into the net and the referee called it a goal. I thought that it was compulsary that the referee had to blow his whistle to start the play and allow the other team to take their direct kick?

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

Bradley, the reality of it is that your team offended your opponents by committing a foul. Because of that, the defending team (your team) has no rights to form a wall or even get ready. The offended team (your opponents) has every right to take advantage of their free kick. No whistle is required for a restart. The referee can choose to use their whistle to restart play if they have taken the time to set a wall, or have had to address something which has taken the momentum of a quick restart away from the team taking the kick. So, the short answer to your question is: No. The referee does not have to blow their whistle to start the play.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

My colleague is correct no whistle, no wall, no time to regroup is allotted to the team that fouled!

That said I have concerns over the DFK for the act of a keeper stepping over the penalty area boundary line. That is not a foul!
IF the ball is carried in the hands by the keeper completely over the line it is a DFK infringement RIGHT beside the boundary line no where else.

A keeper's feet or body is NOT how that foul is called only the position of the ball with respect to being inside or outside the boundary lines as it is in deliberate handled possession. WE often warn or consider such a release as doubtful or trivial in nature as it creates a scoring opportunity from no real threat!

However if it is flagrant or repetitive I will not dispute why the call was made I will be diligent though on the restart location by the attacking team granted this gift by the opposing keeper.

We are not forced to make such a restart ceremonial as in wait for a whistle but admittedly I lean that way in situations of confusion such as this and in attacking restarts within the penalty area. Unless the attackers are totally aware of the restart location exact blade of grass and do nothing whereby I see it as unfair I will not necessarily prevent a restart but will closely monitor how it is conducted.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

I will address the myth a team has the right to set a wall.

I have no idea where this came from. Though we see it all the time at the highest levels of Football. A team gives a foul close in to kill off an attack, slow down an attack, prevent a shot, or any number of things relating to the defence getting beat by a single attacker or being out numbered by attackers. Tweet goes the whistle and a crowd begins to form around the ball. WHY? Because they want to delay the restart so they can get numbers back and defend from strength. AND the referee allows it!

The other side of this is seen when the referee gives a free kick for something close in and THEN stands on the ball and he, himself, delays the restart of play. This is a cardinal sin!! Yet, the best referees in the world do it all the time... Howcum????

Fear!! Fear of going into that pocket and doing what they should in situations line this. Fear that doing what they should will cause them not to be assigned at that level again. Fear of having to explain why they enforced the Laws of the Game. You hear it all the time, the match doesn't need it, it is easier, it causes less problems and on and on. The might be right on THEIR match that day at that instant, fine... The myth is born!

Then we come to your match where a foul is given close in and the attackers take a goal when they see it there for the taking, which is their RIGHT, it is a free kick with FREE being the operative word. All your mates are standing around thinking: Why can't we form a wall like they do on television?" The short answer is: Law 13 demands opponents of a free kick retire the required distance. It doesn't say retire the distance after allowing time for the rest of the defenders to catch up... You guys fouled them, now you want the referee to make them wait while you get your sierra together -- not on my watch.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Jon [Withheld]

No it is a myth that its compulorary that a whistle must be blown for a restart...you think this beacuse you see referees such as myself telling players to wait for the whistle. We do this once play has slowed down and we actually see it for some players as advantageous. However, your team offended. The opposition were quick enough to react first, took a legal freekick and scored. Clever footbal. I refer you to Ryan Giggs v Roma for an example of this.

Regards

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

You'll note the panelists answering are in agreement what happened was within the Law. You'll also note one mentions the players concerned!

This referee is thinking, he is well experienced and that experience is at a much higher level than the rest of us. He knows each player on his field as well as their likes and dislikes. When he "stands on the ball" to delay things he does it because he knows who is around the ball and what they can do with a free kick from that particular spot.

For the most part referees do not have players possessing those skills so waiting a few seconds to determine what they want is better.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I recall a game the US Women's Nationals were playing a few years ago. They were given an IFK in the penalty area. One of the players grabbed the ball, placed it, and kicked a slightly-backward cross to her teammate who put it into the goal - while the opposing goalkeeper was still trying to argue the call! Goal.

The signal for the free kick was made - it was the whistle that stopped play in the first place. As my colleagues have noted, no other signal is needed unless the referee needs to hold up play for some reason - to administer a caution, for example. Or if the kicking team requests the ref's help in moving the wall back the proper distance. And that would go away if referees enforced the 10-yard distance with a few more cautions.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 15809