Question Number: 20046

Law 13 - Free Kicks 9/23/2008

RE: High School Under 18

Elaine Troyer of Elida, Ohio US asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19939

On free kicks last night the offical kept making the oppsoing player back up more without the kicking team asking for ten yards. The opposing player was backing up what she thought was ten yards but the ref kept making her back up more without the kicking team asking for the ten yards. The problem was that the ref was still backing the opposing players up and the kicking team would take the free kick while the ref was doing this. The ref did not tell the kicking team to wait until his whislte or anything but this was unfair to the opposing team as they are still distracted and trying to position themselves to where the ref wanted. On one of these free kicks the kicking team scored a goal while the oppsoition was still backing up for the ref. What should be the protocol here. If the team taking the free kick wants a fast restart and they are not concerned with where the opposing player is at, shouldn't the ref just leave the oppsoing players where they are at unless the kicking team asks for the ten yards?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Elaine. What you describe is all too often seen done by referees that don't know any better. Once the referee interferes with the taking of a free kick, he MUST tell the kicking team to wait for his whistle before taking the kick. That said, the referee's first responsibility on a free kick is to not further disadvatgage the team that has been fouled by refusing them the right to take a free kick. If this referee did what you say, he totally mucked things up first by interfering with the fouled team and then by being totally unfair to the defending team. You are incorrect about the kicking team having to ask for the 10 yards. The team that committed the foul is REQUIRED to give the 10 yards and to do so immediately without anyone asking. If the referee believes the defending team is not giving the 10 yards as required he should be cautioning someone and showing yellow cards.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The kicking team has the right to take a free kick quickly. If they don't do it quickly, and the opponents are too close, I might then intervene and back up the opponents - but I would tell the kicker to wait for the whistle.

It is a myth that players have to 'ask for 10'. The defense should be moving to at least 10 yards from the spot of the foul immediately. If they don't learn where 10 yards is, I'll be making sure they're at least 10 yards when I get the opportunity.

If the defenders are making a pretty good faith effort to get back - they retreat 8 yards but not 10 - I probably won't intervene at all unless the attackers ask.

Players that move directly in front of the ball to take away the opportunity for a quick kick will be having a very short, one-sided, pointed conversation with me, ending with a color test for yellow.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

I have no issue with what the referee has done here. If the referee has engaged in a 'ceremonial kick' then they were wrong to allow the kick at any time as it must be after a whistle. However, that means the referee walking into the middle of play and indicating where the line should be placed.

In this case the referee has not done that, they are verbally instructing the players to not violate the rules and they have not otherwise told ANYONE that a whistle will be required for the restart.

If the players are within the 10 yards distance they MUST leave it. The referee was taking proactive steps to prevent the defending team from violating Rule 12 and saving them a caution. If the defenders do not want to be distracted by the ref enforcing the rules then they should immediately vacate the 10 yards distance and stop breaking the rules on purpose to slow down opponents. The referee would also have been within their rights to issue a caution/yellow card for the violation of rule 12.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The basic premise of refereeing do nothing, when doing just enough is not needed. A referee who is physically or constantly verbally manipulating player conduct has likely imposed his presence and as such fairness dictates that distraction should be removed before restarting.

If a referee is intervening in such things in the hopes of convincing those who SHOULD be cautioned for either failing to respect the ten yards or delay the restart to obey the law and avoid being cautioned. Then in my opinion the referee is creating additional management problems.

While I like proactive refereeing. Such things must be done with very limited physical or verbal intervention. A quick loud command TEN YARDS NOW! and an arm pointing them back from outside the sphere of the immediate kicking area.
I suspect that if I was to referee the match in question we are on cautions quite quickly for failure to respect the ten yards or delaying the restart given this propensity to walk them back so often

The right to a quick kick is NOT to be troubled by the fact the opposition refuse to do their mandatory duty to withdraw immediately to a MINIMUM of ten yards.
The myth here is just because they decide to go quickly the opposition is exempt from their duties and responsibilities.

Yes a ball kicked into the back of a retreating player the opponent has done no wrong but those opponents who pounce on a quick hit ball by stopping or realigning their path before the ten yards was achieved are reacting to the kicker not withdrawing ten yards and are accountable for such actions.

While it is my opinion a referee should not intervene or at best minimally be proactive in do not do that! Unless he wants to caution or deal with misconduct or is asked by the team taking the free kick to make the kick ceremonial. If a referee has not verbally stated for all to hear and used his body as in holding up his whistle and pointing to it to indicate WE WAIT FOR A WHISTLE!!! all defenders should be ready for anything at anytime!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If things are as you say the referee has imposed himself beyond where he should without demanding the free kick not be taken until a signal is given.

What should happen when a free kick is awarded is the referee does nothing and just watches what's going on. In doing that he may observe the actions of all players. Defenders WILL be retreating to a distance of at least 10 yards in any direction from the point of the free kick. Attackers are able to take their free kick FREE being the operative word here when and in any direction they choose without being interfered with by the team seeking to prevent that action.

The kicking team has the right to a free kick, to take it when and how they like, to make dummy runs at the ball, and on and on. The defenders have some rights and beyond making specific bodily functions to maintain life [breathing, letting hearts beat, etc] the only right they have is not to be interfered with by the referee.

You seem to be wound around the kicking team asking for ten, they shouldn't have to because the defenders are obligated to retire the distance without being asked by the referee or kicking team. We have been watching matches and listening to commentators and coaches and others who know not what they speak of tell us what their opinion on the matter happens to be. Very few can recite what Law 13 states on for those in the USA what Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game, 13.3 states. Referees who administer a free kick correctly are automatically wrong because they don't look like everyone else.

What the protocol should be a free kick may be taken freely, the defenders must retire the required distance without being asked and upon failing to do so must expect to be cautioned for failing to respect the required distance, the referee should do nothing initially and if he does something at that instant the kick becomes a wait for the whistle regardless whether the kickers ask for 10 or not.

The referee used incorrect mechanics. Each of your players failing to retire the required distance should have been cautioned. The referee interfered with the defense and shouldn't have. A goal was taken unfairly BECAUSE the cheaters on your team were allowed to cheat without penalty.

If a team gives a foul and is caught out by the referee they MUST retire the correct distance without being asked to by the referee or their opponents to do so. This is how The Game is supposed to be played. This day and age we tend to reward cheating, don't we?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

While there appears to be discrepancies in the answers in fact we are in total agreement that if the referee physically intervenes he must restart with a whistled ceremonial free kick . What passes for opinions is just HOW and WHY the referee is moving them back. If it is all verbal, 'Get back, Move, Ten yards now, Farther and he is not out in front of the ball or the referee is not actually managing a wall or pacing off the ten yards . Some would say this is proactive even if we might disagree with the mechanics amongst ourselves as ANY intervention verbal or not implies a management issue. It is not against the law per say for a referee to proactively manage a match but he must be careful as in these cases perception and implication creates confusion, creates controversy, and causes dissent and abuse. Cheers