Question Number: 15884

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/25/2007

RE: recreational Adult

ken Rundell of vancouver, BC Canada asks...

In a game i was watching the referree called a free kick just outside the penalty box. The attacking team asked for 10 yards. The referree walked it off and the defenders moved back. A couple of defenders were looking down and shuffling back when the attacking player took the free kick and scored. The defenders were outraged at the referree as they said he didn't blow the whistle and they weren't set. Were they right? The referree didn't have his hand up for a ceremonial free kick.

In the same game a girl pushed the ball past a defender in the box and had a direct path to goal. The defender made late tackle after the ball had passed her. The attacking player tried to jump over the defender's legs but couldn't and fell down. The referree whistled a penalty. The attacking player declined as she said it was an accident and she had just tripped over the defenders legs. The referree gave a drop ball instead. Was this right? I've never seen anything like this before. I think that the referree made the right call in the first place.

Sincerely,

Ken

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If the kicking team asks the ref to enforce the 10-yard distance on a free kick, they have in effect asked the ref to make it a ceremonial kick. The referee must signal for the kick to proceed. The signal is usually a whistle. He should have told the kicking team to wait for the whistle. I don't understand your comment, "The referee didn't have his hand up for a ceremonial free kick." The hand held vertically is the signal for an indirect free kick, not for a ceremonial kick. There is no signal for a ceremonial kick, although many refs will use unofficial signals. One I've seen is holding the hand with palm out like a police officer stopping traffic.

As for the penalty that wasn't, that is strange. The attacker really didn't feel that she was fouled? Referees shouldn't get in the habit of changing their calls based on what players tell them. What if next time she said, "Hey, I was just fouled there - why didn't you call it?" Is the ref going to believe her then? If the ref decided that what happened wasn't a foul, then the correct restart would be a dropped ball for the inadvertent whistle. I just wish the ref had decided to change his mind based his or the AR's observations, not the player's. Law 5 says, "The referee may only change a decision on realising that it is incorrect or, at his discretion, on the advice of an assistant referee, provided that he has not restarted play or terminated the match."

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ken,
if the referee intervenes at the taking of a free kick at the request of the attacking team we generally refer to these restarts as ceremonial. Even though the defenders have no rights they should not be further disadvantaged through the referee not informing all when the restart is to take place or by poor positioning be in the way of the play. Again we generally indicate to both teams WAIT for the whistle hand held palm out point to whistleso both teams have clarity. However any defender who forgets to defend has failed his team. UNLESS the referee has SPECIFICALLY told you WAIT for a whistle expect a restart at any time. A referee could simply nod his head or whisper go or wave his hand.

The idea of an arm raised above the referee's head has nothing to do with a ceremonial restart it indicates an INDFK restart is in progress

I suppose in a friendly grasroots rec game if a player wishes to decline a foul and the referee decides to honour that request a drop ball works. In any sort of a competative framework though it is not the place of players to dictate the calls. The team is not obligated to shoot at their opponent's goal. If they wish they can simply kick the ball out or returm it to the other side if they do not want the restart.
A referee makes a call based on what he sees and can use his AR advise for things he might not see. A referee can use player's honesty in some cases when it is apparant both teams are appreciative of fair play standards. On a ball out as a single referee if a player indicates the ball went off him I see no reason to disagree if I was unsure.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Jon Sommer

Just to add, the arm is raised on an INDFK until it has touched another player on the field, thus indicating that a goal may be scored.