Question Number: 19312

Law 13 - Free Kicks 6/9/2008

Todd of Rockford, IL USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19258

I recently refereed a game in which a team, during a corner kick, would try to sneak a teamate close to the corner to do a short kick. But, at the same time, an observant defender saw this and ran out to cover the short kick. When the defender moved towards the corner to cover the short kick, he ended up within the 10 yard distance of the corner arc. The kicker looked at me and requested the "10 yards", however, before I even had a chance to say something to the defender, and almost as fast as his request, he went ahead and took the kick anyway - not waiting for me to move the defender back. The first time it happened, I did nothing nor did I say anything. In taking the kick before I had the chance to correct the problem, I just assumed that he then given up the right for the correction (quick restart). This happened two more times, each time the kicker asking for the ten yards and then immediately taking the kick before I even had the chance to open my mouth and move the defender off. Each time this happened, I obviously received "looks" from the kicking team. However, on the third time this happened, I did yell out to the defender to give 10 yards as quick as I could before the kick and request from the kicker. The defender did stop moving forward, but was still within the 10 yards of the corner arc. The kicker did not wait for the defender to start moving away from the ball before they took the kick. Again, they voiced their displeasure to me about not backing the defender off. My response to the kicker was that if they really wanted their 10 yards, they needed to give me time to inform the defender of the 10 yards and wait for me to back them off (in other words, stop taking a quick kick and then complaining to me after the fact that I didn't tell the defender to give the 10 yards). What is your opinion of how I hadled this particular situation? NOTE: after my comments to the kicker about waiting for me to give him his 10 yards before kicking the ball - I had no problems the rest of the game - they still took the quick kick even though the defender continued to run out to cover the short kick - but from then on, this happened without further comments or even requests from the kicker for the 10 yards - I also did not find it necessary to stop the quick kick on my own since the defender was never closer than 7 to 8 yards anyway and the kicker kept taking the quick kick anyway (never to the short teamate anyway - they always ended up sending the ball to the middle of the field)

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Once a player requests referee assistance on enforcing the 10 yards, the ref should tell the kicker to wait for a whistle before kicking. If she kicks anyway, she is due a caution - ironically for delaying the restart of play - and the kick will be retaken.

If there are defenders that insist on moving close to a free kick or corner kick, the ref should be proactive to stop this. If the kickers don't request assistance, the ref should talk to the encroaching players as soon as possible after the kick to indicate they should estimate their 10 yards better. If they race in right in front of the ball to halt play, they should be cautioned immediately.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

This player is playing YOU. He asks for the 10 yards you give it to him, end of story. I suspect what he was doing is causing the defenders to relax as he has requested the 10 yards. Your allowing him to do this unfairly disadvantaged the opponents as I'm sure they thought you were going to hold up play. My opinion is after the second time you should have firmly blown your whistle and loudly told the kicking team if they want 10 yards they are NOT to kick the ball after asking for it and if they do, they will be cautioned.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

In fact the opponent must be 10 yards from the OUTSIDE edge of the corner arc on a corner kick. Failure to do so is cautionable show a yellow card for failure to respect the distance or possible delaying the restart.
Stop the kick reset it back and use the first time to WARN this is not permitted after that caution the next time the opponent infringes the distance. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

As soon as the kicking team requests the referee insist on 10 yards the referee must quickly and emphatically indicate to the attackers that they may not restart play until given a clear signal to do so. You may find these instructions in Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game, 13.3. That ends everything you had a problem with!

Regards,