Question Number: 21119

Law 13 - Free Kicks 4/11/2009

RE: Select High School

James Gardner of PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL USA asks...

We just went to a neighboring city for a game. I noticed the referees there did not require 10 yards on a free kick unless the kicking team asked for it. I just looked up the laws, and I don't see anything in the laws about the kicking team having to ask for 10 yards. The law says 10 yards. It can even be cardable as time wasting to repeatedly deny the 10 yards. One of my players rushed the kicker twice and blocked the kick before it had gone even 3 yards, and the referees didn't call her because the other team had not asked for 10. That makes it kind of hard for me to explain the laws of the game.

So my question is, have directives been issued to referees in some areas to stop requiring 10 yards on free kicks? If so, Let's get rid of the 'D' and center circle too, because they are outdated.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

You are correct, there is no requirement under the Laws of the Game nor the NFHS rules, that the kicking team must 'Ask for 10.' The defending team at a free kick has the immediate responsibility to retreat at least 10 yards as soon as possible. At the same time, referees are instructed not to do anything to interfere with the kicking team's right to take a quick kick. So if an opponent is less than 10 yards from the ball and makes no movement toward it, and hopefully is making at least a token effort to move away, I will not automatically 'manage the wall' and take away the kicker's right to restart quickly.

Now if the defender comes rushing in from distance to stand right in front of the ball or block the kick a few yards away, I'm not going to bother with resetting the wall. That player has earned a caution for failure to respect the distance at a free kick, and I will oblige him. Perhaps that little piece of yellow plastic will give him a more accurate estimation of distance next time.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

NO, there is NO law or earthly reason for a team to request ten yards!
This is a myth of gigantic proportions spawned by the ability at the elite level to stop, place and kick the ball quickly without interruption! Those elite players are well aware of the significance of milling about pretending to be unaware! BOTH teams engage in such antics, BUT they also let the opposition get those kicks away uninterrupted MOST of the time! Those defending KNOW when they risk getting that caution if they DO choose to interrupt proceedings. Referees are keen to allow play to continue! As long as the players are HAPPY the referees try NOT to get involved!

At issue is the lower levels are not as skilled or as generous in their versions of what constitutes ACCEPTABLE FAIR PLAY standards.
The defending team MUST in law withdraw a MINIMUM of ten yards immediately upon the referee signalling the direction of the foul! If teams are CONSTANTLY asking for ten yards because they are (a) clueless and think they must or (b) because the opposition has engaged in stall tactics that the referee is doing NOTHING about really reflects the match standards being applied!

In a recent discussion here on this panel it generated a lot of argumentative and controversial issues over what a referee could or should do as opposed with must and can not do at the taking of a free kick!

The mechanics of a referee are basically one of non interference UNLESS the laws are being broken and it is AFFECTING the opposition to a degree that it CANNOT be allowed to go by without A decision!

A Referee who sees the opposition trying to prevent the restart or failing to withdraw who tries to proactively get them to do so WITHOUT cautioning them verbally saying, 'Get back! Or Ten yards now!' The aggrieved team may even point out, 'For crying out loud referee, where is the ten yards? as a plea not necessarily a request but one born of frustration that this delay bullshit goes unsanctioned. If the referee is NOT CLEAR in his actions nothing has occurred that says this MUST be a whistled restart! If the defenders turn away reluctantly at being yelled at and the attacking team goes ahead with the free kick even if the defenders claim it SHOULD be ceremonial and they have a right to set a wall in PLAIN law they have NO RIGHTS at all! They were fortunate enough to escape being cautioned, consider that their lucky break!

The referee, if he wanted it ceremonial he needs to say and indicate so in no uncertain terms! ONLY if the referee identifies this free kick will be ceremonial could a defender have reason to relax a bit and get back into position or think about wall placement!

To engage in talk with the attackers using that talk to get play underway create unpleasant match situations that could be avoided. While I agree that a referee should try not to interfere with the player's decisions, the referee MUST sanction and thus cautions show the yellow card to the defenders who purposefully create these delays or less than ten yard situations and restart ceremonially.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You are correct that nowhere in the Laws will you find that the kicking team has to ask for the 10 yards. You are incorrect that it is 'cardable as time wasting to repeatedly deny the 10 yards'. It is a caution and yellow card ANY time the 10 yards are not given. Every player on the team committing the foul MUST give the required 10 yards immediately and without being asked or told to. Every time your player rushed the kicker before the kick was taken, plastic should have been flying out of the referee's pocket as what your players did was a blatant disregard for the Law and should have been punished immediately.

That said, I understand your frustration. How are you supposed to explain the Laws when it's obvious the referees in your area don't know what they are? I want you to do some reading but here's some easy to understand facts:
1. The 10 yards are required and must be given without prompting
2. The team that committed the offense resulting in the free kick have NO RIGHTS. This means they have no right to have the game held up so they may form a wall and they may not do anything to interfere with the taking of a quick kick.
3. If the referee intercedes to make the kick a ceremonial one, he must tell everyone to wait for his whistle before the kick may be taken. If the kicker ignores this he will be cautioned and the kick retaken.
4. The referee should, after giving the signal what kind of kick and what direction the kick is going, stay out of the way and do nothing to prevent the kicking team from taking a quick kick.
5. At the taking of an INDIRECT free kick, tapping the top of the ball with the bottom of the foot does NOT put the ball into play. The ball must be kicked and moved.

Now, I want you to go to www.ussoccer.com and download the current Laws Of The Game, Interpretations Of The Laws Of The Game And Guidelines For Referees, and the 2007 ADvice To Referees On The Laws Of The Game. Advice is put out by the USSF and contains guidelines for US referees. The only copy downloadable is out of date on some thing and is being revised but is full of useful information. This will give you plenty of information with which to instruct your players.

I know you know we need the D so players are 10 yards from the penalty mark and the center circle to keep opponents 10 yards from the ball at a kick-off.

If you REALLY want to learn the Laws, take the introductory Grade 9 referee course. It sounds like your area needs some more referees and would love to have you join the ranks.