Question Number: 18388

Law 13 - Free Kicks 2/17/2008

RE: Competive Under 17

Andrew of Beverly Hills FL, FL USA asks...

Hello,
today we (orange ) fouled our opponents(red) just out side the 18. A direct kick was given to red. The ball was placed and kicked before the referee had blown the whistle to resume play. Both teams were set but the whistle had not been blown. The kick was high and the referee called it back for a "redo" which red scored. Is this not an advantage for red, 2 shots one penalty? I see it as if on a throw in the player who lost the ball kicks it away from the team going to throw the ball in. The ball is not in play yet kicked away. Orange in no way created the second kick yet were penalized by red not following the referees direction, wait for my whistle. My interpretation of the rule would be at worst delay of game , yellow card - orange ball. At best no call orange ball, but not advantage red. Insight?
Thanks, Andrew

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Here the referee demanded the red side wait for his whistle to resume play. He did this because of two possible things, the red side demanded he tend to the orange side's failure to respect the required distance at the taking of a corner kick or a free kick OR because he needed them to wait for some other reason. They MUST wait for his whistle before attempting to restart play. They didn't.

Now there is another thing the referee should do before whistling for the restart, severely admonish or caution the red player who restarted play without waiting for a signal. Did he do either?

As to giving the restart of play to your side, this is impossible in the game of Association Football or soccer. Once play is stopped for a specific thing the restart of play must be in accordance with the Law. It makes no difference how spectators feel. As a aside to what happened; your side use foul play of some sort and harmed their opponents. The opponents are entitled to a free kick of some sort and are free to take it as they wish, UNLESS the referee demands otherwise. They were allowed to take their free kick when the referee was ready. They scored a goal from their correctly taken free kick.

I wonder how they would have felt had the referee refused a goal on their first attempt taken before his signal and missed for goal kick on their second go?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

There are some interesting portions of the law's restart requirements, written plainly they state

Law 13 ? Free Kicks
Infringements/Sanctions
If, when a free kick is taken, an opponent is closer to the ball than the required distance: the kick is retaken.

Law 5 ? The Referee
Powers and Duties: restarts the match after it has been stopped;

Law 12 Fouls and Misconduct
Cautionable Offences
A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he:
1. is guilty of unsporting behavior
2. shows dissent by word or action
4. delays the restart of play
5. fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in

The word **ceremonial** reflects the established protocol of referee intervention AFTER a free kick has been awarded. Often a referee need play NO part in a restart other than to indicate by consent or whistle/signal that the restart can occur.
However, if the NEED To participate in the opinion of the referee is REQUIRED either because of the grievousness of the incident where cards and match control are serious issues or at the request of the offended team it is preferred that a whistle signal be given to restart as a CLEAR indication that it is OK to proceed. The key though is the referee MUST be in ageement that he DID indeed signal.

If a referee specifically and CLEARLY states , "WAIT for the whistle !" and the kicker jumps the gun, there is thinking that IF we do retake for a missed kick that we specifically requested they do not take until we signaled, a caution and a yellow card will be shown to the kicker if a second attempt is even allowed. One could shrug off the event , perhaps feeling that a premature kick that misses to sail into touch for a goal kick could be overlooked and the incident pushed into a trivial action not worthy of a retake as a matter of fairness.

Now I can not judge the actions or words of the referee but feel required to point out, the defending team has NO rights on a free kick other than be ready at ten yards away.
As to why the referee recalled the kick? Who is to say?

In my opinion, if it was solely because the referee showed by clear action and said by understood words "I will signal via the whistle when to restart play" and he never did, the kicker should get a clear verbal blast, cautioned and be show a yellow card be it a recalled goal or a complete miss. The restart REMAINS the same, as the ball was NEVER in play. The premature kicking action was ONLY misconduct if so judged by the opinion of the referee.

If any defender was within ten yards the law states it the kick is to be retaken based on the possibility of the nearness of an opponent creating non free kick conditions. The referee could be whistling play dead again even as the kick is on its way. Miscommunication is a possibility but the referee has the discretionary power to set the bar for the restart. If he was not happy with the conditions being correct then the restart has not occurred.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Remember Andrew that had a goal been scored it would have been disallowed. It may seem unfair to your team but the Law requires a retake of the free kick. That said, avoid using the word "penalty" when you really mean "foul" to avoid any confusion. Also I can say that a whistle is not required to restart play, merely a signal will do.