Question Number: 20386

Law 13 - Free Kicks 10/27/2008

RE: PDL Competive Under 11

Anothony Stewart of Yakima, Washington USA asks...

This is in regards to a free kick. If team A is awarded a free kick, and Team B has a player stand by the ball until the ref shows how far he can stand, is that an automatic Yellow Card. Another Coach and myself seem to have a disagreement about the issue. I thought it was okay to stand there until the ref shows you how far you can be. He says that if you do that, it is an automatic Yellow Card for Delay of Play.

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The other coach is mostly correct and you are 100% wrong.

It is MANDITORY that all opposition players once the referee signalls the direction of the foul must withdraw to a MINIMUM of 10 yards.

A referee has the AUTHORITY to caution and show a yellow card for either delay of the restart or failure to withdraw to ten yards to opposition players who are in around the ball closer than they should be that in his opinion intefere with the taking of the kick. He might warn first but that is not a guarantee as the opposition are obligated in law to vacate the area.

Now ten yards withdrawals even at elite level rarely go farther than 8 on their own accord but they must withdraw to a certain extent to at least look like they are complying. The right to restart quickly is often taken and as long as the free kick is underway with no problems the distance issue was ignored by the attackers and the referee can choose to ignore it as well althoug a word of warning to those who were not withdrawing is certainly feasable.

If the team fouled must constantly ask for the referee to ensure ten yards the referee is NOT doing his duty to ensure the opposition are properly respecting the rights of a FREE, note that word **FREE**, kick. Caution show the yellow cards they are required to set the bench mark if the opposition players fail to respect the distance at free kicks.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Anthony, it is incumbent upon a player to retire the ten yards when a free kick is given to the opponents. If I referee the game and you 'stand on the ball', you are going see the colour yellow. That is the Law.
Now if you are 7 yards or 10 yards away is open to the referee's interpretation but if you are one yard away it is clearly not ten yards. So get the hell out of there and allow Fair Play!

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You have bought into a myth that coaches have. Here's what rights the team that committed the foul have: NONE. You have committed a foul. Why in the world would you be allowed to further disadvantage your opponents by standing in the way and preventing the taking of a quick kick? To me, this is automatic. the team committing the foul MUST retreat at least 10 yards. they MUST do so without being told. They MUST do so immediately. Whenever I run into a coach that teaches his players they have the right to stand in front of the ball preventing the fouled team from taking their free kick, out comes a yellow card. That way everyone knows that they can't do that. Other referees will tell the player to retreat but I have found over the years that a quick caution and yellow card works better. The coach can come up to me after the game or at the half for clarification but his players will only do this once in any game I referee.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

U12's or so, I'll give them one warning, loud and public: 'C'mon, is that 10 yards?' After that, and any older, the caution will be their warning not to do it again, lest they be send off.