Question Number: 17613

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/2/2007

RE: Competitive Under 13

Aubrey Waddell of Maryville, TN USA asks...

I refereed a U12 Girls competitive league match recently. Late in the match with Team A ahead 3-2, the Team A goalkeeper made a routine pick-up of an attempted through ball about one yard inside her penalty area. As she looked around for punting targets, she accidentally dropped the ball about a foot outside the penalty area line, dead center of goal and clearly completely out of the penalty area. She reached down and picked up the ball. I whistled and signalled for a direct free kick for deliberately handling the ball. The goalkeeper was confused and continued to hold the ball. I went to her and said "you used your hands on the ball outside your penalty area." She nodded yes, handed me the ball, and retreated to her line. I put the ball down at the spot of the handling and again signalled for a direct free kick toward the goal. An alert Team B forward ran up and blasted the ball into the goal to tie the match at 3-3, and that's how it ended. The next day, a fellow referee and our coaching director (who both watched the game) said I made an error. They said when a referee takes possession of the ball to place it somewhere for a free kick (often necessary in youth soccer, where kids don't always know what the call means) that the referee then has to use a ceremonial restart to conduct the free kick. I tried to explain the "fouling team forfeits all rights on free kicks" philosophy that you often explain here, but they were adamant that I should have used a ceremonial restart. Please tell me that my understanding of the Laws is not that poor. I cannot find such a ruling anywhere in the Laws.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

You placed the ball and then signaled for the kick to take place. Is that not ceremonial enough for your colleagues? I fail to see the argument here. Maybe you didn't whistle for the kick to be taken, but by giving a signal, you have indicated that the ball is free to be played. The signal doesn't always have to be a whistle.

A ceremonial free kick doesn't mean that you give the opposition all the time in the world to set their defense. Rather it means is that the kicker must wait until the referee signals, and the referee won't signal until the ball is placed and opponents are outside 10 yards. You said the keeper retreated, so I presume she's at least 10 yards away. You don't mention any other defenders within 10 yards. It sounds to me like you followed proper procedures.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You DID give a ceremonial restart when you placed the ball and signalled. Why should you allow the keeper's team to form a wall? That said, are you comfortable with the award of the DFK? How did the keeper's opponents react when she handled the ball? Did they point and yell "handball" or did they retreat? If not, could not this minor infraction be viewed as trifling?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

I agree with my colleagues here. You supervised the placement of the ball and signaled for the free kick to be taken. This is part of the game - players must react quick to free kick situations. Sinc this was a younger game, the players may not of reacted as promptly as they could have.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

What you did was fine.