Question Number: 16853

Law 13 - Free Kicks 9/23/2007

RE: competitive Under 15

Vern Meissner of rancho palos verdes, ca USA asks...

On an indirect free kick, where does it say that the ball must be moved and not just touched ???

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Law 13: "the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves"

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Another place this addressed is in Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game, paragraph:

13.5 BALL IN PLAY

The ball is in play (able to be played by an attacker other than the kicker or by an opponent) when it has been kicked and moved. The distance to be moved is minimal and the "kick" need only be a touch of the ball with the foot in a kicking motion. Simply tapping the top of the ball with the foot or stepping on the ball are not sufficient.

When the restart of play is based on the ball being kicked and moved, the referee must ensure that the ball is indeed kicked (touched with the foot in a kicking motion) and moved (caused to go from one place to another). Being "kicked" does not, for example, include an action in which the ball is dragged by continuous contact with the foot. Being "moved" does not, for example, include the ball simply quivering, trembling, or shaking as a result of light contact. The referee must make the final decision on what is and is not "kicked and moved" based on the spirit and flow of the match. In all events, the ball must be put into play properly.

The referee must judge carefully whether any particular kick of the ball and subsequent movement was indeed reasonably taken with the intention of putting the ball into play rather than with the intention merely to position the ball for the restart. If the ball is just being repositioned (even if the foot is used to do this), play has not been restarted. Likewise, referees should not unfairly punish for "failing to respect the required distance" when an opponent was clearly confused by a touch and movement of the ball which was not a restart.

The referee must make the final decision on what is a "kick" and what is "not a kick" based on his or her feeling for the game-what FIFA calls "Fingerspitzengefuhl" (literally: "sensing with one?s fingertips"). The bottom line is that not everything that produces movement of the ball is a kick and thus would not legally put the ball into play in any of the kicking restarts.

Regards,