Question Number: 16916

Law 15 - Throw In 9/26/2007

RE: all Other

ref47 of arlington, va usa asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16869

i believe that the answer to the original question [16869] was not complete. prefiously in the lotg and q&as to the laws, it was stated that a throwin that did not enter the fop was retaken. now, the 07-08 version states that a properly taken throwin that does not enter the fop is retaken, but an improperly taken throwin that does not enter the fop is taken by the opponent. do you folks agree?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Yes,
I held that opinion long before the change was specifically stated as the word *correct* had to be of some purpose in the FIFa Q&A. ;o)
It does seem to fly against tradition given a restart has to occur first to put a ball into play but with the INDFK for a backheel in the PK law 14 came about. Traditions have shifted a bit!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

You are correct in what you say Bert. However the referenced question asked two distinct things. It did not ask what to do with an incorrectly thrown ball that didn't enter the field of play.

The FIFA Additional Instruction regarding this event was addressed by the folks working on Advice 2007, it was deemed necessary to further amplify paragraph 15.4. Here is that change:

Referees must distinguish between a throw-in which infringes on the requirements of Law 15 and one which is not properly taken such that the restart is said not to have been taken. In the first case
(infringement), possession of the restart is given to the opponents and taken from the same location; under no circumstances may advantage be applied to a throw-in performed illegally. In the case of a throw-in which is not properly taken, the restart must be taken again by the same team from the same location.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If you think about it, if this were NOT the case, you could never punish a throw as being foul if the thrower only took it with one foot on the ground. I understand the ball never came into play but we all have punished a player for having a foot in the air BEFORE the throw was taken. Theoretically, you should be able to do almost anything before the ball is put into play without changing the restart but in practice, this has never been the case of a throw-in as all the things one does to make a throw foul occur BEFORE the ball breaks the plane of the touchline.