Question Number: 17324

Law 17 - Corner Kick 10/15/2007

RE: Under 17

Estefan of Garden City, Michigan United States of America asks...

Allright.

At the risk of sounding like a dummy, what is the correct procedure for re-start of play on a corner kick?

I've seen referees whistle this, use hand signals and have also seen players take the "rapid re-start" route.

Reason being that recently in a match, myh shoe came untied. I dealt with it for a good while until finally the ball was sent out over the goal line by a defending player.

Seeing the stoppage (the ball had traveled a good distance out of play) as the best time to temporarily halt the match and tie my laces, I yelled to the kicking team (2- 3 times) to "hold the kick please."

Apparently, the player taking the kick did not hear me (although my A.R. did), and he took the kick.

Looking up, I see a mad scramble for the ball in the box, and a dribbler roll across the goal line.

The attacking team begins celebrating, the defending team protesting, and the sideline (both allegiances) griping. Not that I care too much about what the specataors think, but I would prefer to keep some semblance of order whenever possible.

I've been over and through FIFA's (and USSF's) Laws of the Game, and can't find a reference to whether or not the corner is to be signaled by the referee before it's taking.

Give me a word on this please.

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Estafan,
as referee NO restart occurs without your permission. Quick free kicks are allowed only if you choose to allow it. In the issue of a corner it is not one of the recommended whistled restarts but if you require a moment to prepare or see events within the area as confrontational and you need time to deal with it you tell the kicker WAIT for the whistle understand?. Perhaps you need to be louder when talking to the players but it is always a good idea to get eye contact withthe kicker and recieve a signal back that he has registered your remark in some manner.
You will find the advice in aditional instructions of the law

Use of whistle
The whistle is needed to:
? start play (1st, 2nd half), after a goal
? stop play
? for a free kick or penalty kick
? if match is suspended or terminated
? when a period of play has ended due to the expiration of time
? restart play at
? free kicks when the wall is ordered back the appropriate distance
? penalty kicks
? restart play after it has been stopped due to
? the issue of a yellow or red card for misconduct
? injury
? substitution
The whistle is NOT needed
? to stop play for:
? a goal kick, corner kick or throw-in
? a goal
? to restart play from
? a free kick, goal kick, corner kick, throw-in
A whistle which is used too frequently unnecessarily will have less
impact when it is needed. When a discretionary whistle is needed to
start play, the referee should clearly announce to the players that the restart may not occur until after that signal.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Most restarts may be taken at the discretion of the attacking team - unless the referee for some reason has cause to tell them not to proceed. Only the kickoff and a penalty kick require a referee signal.

Common examples of why the referee would delay a restart are to accomodate substitutions, administer misconduct, or because the attacking team requests the referee to ensure the wall is at least 10 yards. It's less common that the referee would need time for a personal need, such as your shoelace. But if you tell the players not to restart, you would expect them to comply. Call the kick or throw-in back and have them do it again when you're ready.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If the referee has issues with himself that require he take some action he needs to prevent a restart of play until those issues are dealt with. Prevent means make sure the players don't restart until you give a signal. On my last match I neglected to "double knot" my right boot. I noticed it in my final check, book, cards, whistles, pen mind in gear -- start the watch -- GO. I made a mental note to correct that at the interval -- well one came untied before the interval and I had to hold a restart to take care of business.

What I did was whistle, the kicker looked at me and I said "hold it, some idiot didn't tie my shoe properly and I have to re-tie it". He laughed and held up until I took care of things. Before blowing the whistle to release play I said "Thanks mate, my bad" -- his grin said enough, I took the small loss in face but stuff happens to all of us. He forgave me, then took the kick... Next time I'll bend over and tie it properly before the kick off just like I should have that day, before I ambled out on the field. Live and learn, a-frigging-gain...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

No signal necessary unless the referee has stopped play for some other reason. Examples would be injuries, subs, to issue a card, etc.