Question Number: 19206

Law 13 - Free Kicks 5/26/2008

Dale Evesworth of , Min. USA asks...

i was watching an EPL game on TV a few weeks back and i am just curious. is it the referees job to enforce the distance on a free kick or does the team kicking the ball have to request it

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It is the referee's duty to see to it that the 10 yards is respected. The kicking team does NOT have to request it, although they do have the right to take a quick free kick if they want to, assuming the referee doesn't need to stop the restart to issue a card.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The team that committed the foul has the responsibility to immediately withdraw at least ten yards from the place the free kick will be taken. They should not have to be reminded of this by the referee, nor should the kicking team have to ask for them to move. The kicking team has the option of waiting a reasonable time for them to do so, or they may kick quickly and not object to players who are still within 10 yards.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Dale what a referee is looking for in these situations is what the kicking team wants. He should do nothing for the first second or two and during that time the opponents should be retiring the required distance and no one should be moving toward the ball inside the required distance. Given that pipe dream the referee is going to have to consider what exactly do the players themselves consider fair? At the extreme top of Football what looks to be an affront to The Game might just be the referee allowing what the players are fine with.

A television audience is not going to be able to feel what the players are feeling, only a supremely qualified referee is going to be able to do that and he has to be on the field with them. He worked thousands of matches to reach that level of competence and we just have to trust he is getting it right most of the time.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The referee enforces the distance law. The defending side is REQUIRED to retreat 10 yards right away, if they fail to do so, they may be cautioned by the referee.

However, at the pros sometimes the referee will wait in some cases until the attackers ask for assistance. The reason is not to interfere with a quick free kick, if the attackers want to take it. Though, as I said before, it's not required.

When I referee, I verbally encourage the defending side to keep moving back until I'm happy that they are 10 yards back.