Question Number: 19307

Law 13 - Free Kicks 6/9/2008

RE: Rec/Select Under 13

Joe S of Louisville, KY US asks...

In a tournament game over the weekend, penalty was called on the other team giving us a direct kick. Other team start to build a wall around 5 yards away, CR places the ball on the ground and raises his hand, and we quick kick and score. However, one of our coaches yells "Don't they have to give us 10 yards" as our girl is kicking. The CR blows his whistle while the ball is in the air, waves off the goal and makes the other team move back the required distance. My question is - can the CR disregard the goal since the ball was already in play when he blew his whistle?
Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

We've got a few problems here. First of all, the opponents should better estimate where the required 10-yard distance is. Then we have the ref raising his arm for a free kick - was the arm raised vertically indicating the kick was indirect? Then we have a coach interfering with the game - coaches are allowed to give tactical instructions to their players, not to the referee. If the team wanted the wall to back up before the kick, they should have requested it. Then we have the team voluntarily taking a quick kick, which the referee calls back due to the coach's outburst. Plenty of blame to go all around here - and awfully hard to sort out.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The referee can indeed blow his whistle while the ball is in the air, because what has happened is referee hears coach (or doesn't - this scenario could happen without the coach's interference), referee realizes wall is not far enough back, decides to set the wall, but before all this thinking can be processed (decision made in advance of kick) and announced (the announced part takes a few seconds to move whistle to mouth and blow) the ball is kicked. Technically, the restart didn't happen. I'm a little surprised that the referee would punish the team for the sins of the coach by calling the kick back, at least at this level. Perhaps he forgot that allowing a team to score when the opposition is trying to cheat is the best remedy? That shuts up the coach (oops, I didn't mean that, ref! thanks for your quick thinking!). Or, same thinking process, but referee realizes quick kick may be to advantage of team and holds the whistle. Or, referee not experienced enough to realize setting the wall is not required, and referee interferes with the play. Or, with hand in the air, referee has called an indirect free kick, which means the ball must touch another player before it enters the goal or it will be a goal kick. Referee sees problem, decides to set wall and gives the team another opportunity to score. Impossible to know which scenario was going down with your situation.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The referee is free to blow his whistle to stop play before the goal is scored. Perhaps you should teach your assistant to keep his mouth shut unless giving tactical instructions to your players. If the referee blew his whistle before the ball scored, there is no goal. If the ball was already in the net then he may not make you retake the kick and the goal would count. All that said, I find it more than a little funny that you are complaining about a referee doing something YOUR assistant coach requested. Yet again, an example of a coach that doesn't understand the Laws and has prevented his team from taking a legal quick kick and scoring.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

I have a few issues with your situation.
1st A referee raising an arm over his head indicates INDFK so a direct shot on goal is not possible unless his arm is extended straight out at head level palm out for a stop sign effect.
2nd Why is the referee spotting the ball at all? Especially with opponents closer than ten yards watching? This sounds suspiciously ceremonial? Did he say wait for a whistle?
3rd Coaches yelling referee instructions from the touchlines generally confuses issues more then helps as they are allowed only to tactically advise their players not the referee
4th Opponents are not permitted within the 10 yards so a proactive referee should be setting this standard with possible caution show a yellow card to those who fail to respect the distance or delay the kick.
5th A referee restarts play when he is ready and if something is not correct he can redo any restart he wishes. While teams can take quick kicks a referee still must be satisfied that all restart requirements were met.
In your situation sounds like some difficulties needed sorting out. You may have lost out on a goal through confusion or maybe the restart needed to be redone it is hard to guage given the circumstances.
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 19355