Question Number: 15809

Law 13 - Free Kicks 6/16/2007

RE: Rec Under 13

Bradley of Okotoks, Alberta Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 15791

Regarding my qestion on a DFK and if the referee needs to blow the whistle to start the play. Thank you for the answers, but I have a question then. Since I now know that a referee doesn't have to blow the whistle to start the play for a DFK, why can't I run up and stand in front of the ball after a foul so that the attacking player can't kick it in the net. The referee would then have to back me up 10 yards and because he has done so, would he then have to start the play again with a whistle this time? Thought I saw this rule in the FIFA rule book about if the referee had to fix the wall of defenders, that then it was compulsary to restart the play with his whistle?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Bradley,
Ok you now know a referee is not obligated to blow a whistle at the restart of any DFK or INDFK best use the word free kick!
The reason this is so is to award the team you or a team mate just cheated a chance to resume their attack without delay upon permission of the referee.

That permission is his acceptance the restart can be taken quickly if they wish to conduct it quickly, from the correct location and follow restart procedures.

The laws of the game prevent you or any of your team mates from interfering in this process. It is obligatory for the opposition to withdraw to a minimum of 10 yards upon the realization of a foul against an opponent.
Failure to do is in fact a cautionable offence per law 12 .

It is a MYTH ! A misinformational misdirection of lies that the defenders have ANY rights to set a wall on any free kick. That tactical option only occurs if the team taking the free kick wish to conduct a set play or the referee must deal with cardable or special confrontational situations.

There is nothing compulsory about a referee blowing a whistle! Yes! let's go! OK! a wave of the hand, a nod of the head all are used by the referee. ONLY when a referee has actually stated we wait for a whistle should any defender take heart that it will be the signal to restart.

You need to be aware a ceremonial restart where the referee INTERVENES because the offended team requests he does or in special circumstances i.e. he wishes to show a card cautioning or is sending someone off! In these cases it is common protocol to use a whistle restart on ceremonial restarts when the referee has in fact STATED we WAIT for a whistle as the restart is being delayed to deal with the match requirements.

If a referee has indicated to the defenders a whistle restart will occur it will be at the request of the team that was fouled or the referee's decision absolutely not anything the defenders wanted. Your cute trick of standing near the ball at a foul you created will get you a yellow invitation not to do so again by me and Ref Fleischer I can assure you. You might get a 10 yards now yell from me even before you attempted it a possible verbal warning to clear the area but do not count on it to save you from a caution if you do!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

To all Referees in Alberta, Canada [everywhere else too]:

Please caution all encroachers at any free kick until the Myth, that the defence has a right to form a wall at 5 m or it's fine for one opponent to stand at the ball so there is time for his lazy team mates to get behind the ball, is dispelled. Until it's done you WILL have players thinking like this one. To him the Laws must mean nothing and we only have referees to thank for him being a scoff Law.

So Bradley, the order to respect the required distance is a caution and upon repetition, a sending-off. That's the Law, I have asked the referees in Alberta to get all prissy about encroachment. Whether or not they do is up to them. The question is: Do ya feel lucky, huh, do ya?

Enjoy delaying the restart by standing on the ball. We told you there is nothing required beyond the referee pointing the direction of a free kick. We told you it was a cautionable offence. Then you threaten referees with standing on the ball to delay a FREE kick, enjoy the fruits of your obstinateness young sir.

Answer provided by Referee Jon [Withheld]

If you did this on my watch here would be what i did: You stand on the ball. I blow my whistle very hard obviously annoyed at you and produce an immediate yellow card, I would not take name just note number to sped things up and try not to tak a further advantage away from the attackers.( I would then take your name if the attackers wanted to wait, or I would take it at the next stoppage.) If you didn't immediately retreat I would stop play. Number x here please. Name. I am dismissing you for a second cautionable offense. That offense being Failing to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in. If you are obtuse enough to let me caution you twice within seconds for this then its you own fault. Your part in the game is now over. Thanks very much. PLEASE NOTE. You might retreat but talk back to me. I don't advise this either because another cautionable offense is 'dissent by word or action' and I would most likely caution you for that. In fact, I always caution for that to stamp it out of the game.

Now, YOUR TEAM HAS FOULED, you have no right whatsoever in law to prevent the other team quickly playing on. If you do, expect yourself to get to know the official team very well over the course of the match. The Whistle doesn't have to be blown for a free kick. Now I hope that is clear this time.

Regards

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Bradley, not that I'm going to ref any games in Alberta soon, but if you come running up in front of the ball in any of my games you will get an immediate caution and be shown the yellow card. If you find yourself only a few yards from the ball and don't start backing away, well, as Ref Fleischer says, "Do ya feel lucky?" Because depending on what I feel you're doing, you might or might not see my yellow card then - but you should probably know I don't like that situation either. And if you set up too close and dive in to intercept the quick kick - a caution goes with that too.

The only time I wouldn't be definitely cautioning players for being too close is if I feel they have made a good-faith effort in getting to 10 yards, and they just can't measure correctly. And that wears thin when it happens too many times. There was a game where I told the wall to move back, they went to a proper position, and I said, "See, you do know where 10 yards is. Let's go right there the next time."

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Interesting solution. The problem is that when you do this you will be punished with a caution and a yellow card first, then on repetition, you will be punished for this again and that means you'll be sent-off from the field and shown the red card.

The referee has tools to discourage cheating.