Question Number: 22585

Law 13 - Free Kicks 11/25/2009

RE: travel Under 12

Tim of Ledgewood, NJ USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 4064

indirect kick. one player steps on and over the ball and second player kicks ball into goal.
Ref calls no goal. Why?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

On a free kick, the ball is in play after it is kicked and moves. On an indirect free kick, the ball must touch another player after the ball is in play before a goal can be scored.

The referee probably ruled that the step on the ball was not a 'kick' (sinc eonly a minimal motion is required). If so, the ball was properly put into play when the second player kicked it, but it was not touched by another player before the ball entered the goal.

The USSF provides, in its Advice To Referees the following about the kick and moves requirement of law 13 :

'Simply tapping the top of the ball with the foot or stepping on the ball are not sufficient. When the restart of play is based on the ball being kicked and moved, the referee must ensure that the ball is indeed kicked (touched with the foot in a kicking or dragging motion) and moved (caused to go from one place to another). The referee must make the final decision on what is and is not 'kicked and
moved' based on the spirit and flow of the match.'

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

While an INDFK has no directional constraints the laws do say when it is kicked and moved. A step on squishy is not always considered a kick! In my opinion the ball must be visibly kicked and discernibly moved so the referee is not guessing the ball is in play. I suggest on the step over simply roll the ball back slightly with the ball of the foot. A requirement for a goal to be scored off an INDFK is that if the ball subsequently touches another player before it enters the goal after it is kicked and moved. If the ball was deemed not kicked and moved by the 1st player's squishy then the 2nd player blasting the ball was actually the 1st touch directly into the goal . Restart is a goal kick!:

Other referees may accept such a restart, however, there are problems of misdirection attempts at faking the ball in play by the attacking team then crying foul when the defenders react to the fake and close them down quickly and crying foul if they do not get to continue the attack if the defenders appear unaware the ball is in play but the referee is unaware as well!

While any part of the foot can be used to kick it into play! Toe, instep, outside, heel and the bottom of the shoe The 'sole roll' where the ball is moved, but the foot is always in contact with the ball from start to stop and when the foot is taken away the ball is not moving. For my satisfaction the ball must continue to move one the foot is taken away otherwise a repositioning and moving the ball into a restart position is confused with when the ball is actually being kicked into dynamic play!


USSF ATR QUOTE
13.5 THE BALL IN PLAY
The ball is in play (able to be played by an attacker other than the kicker or by an opponent) when it has been kicked and moved. The distance to be moved is minimal and the 'kick' need only be a touch of the ball with the foot in a kicking motion or being dragged with the top or bottom of the foot.

Simply tapping the top of the ball with the foot or stepping on the ball are not sufficient.

When the restart of play is based on the ball being kicked and moved, the referee must ensure that the ball is indeed kicked (touched with the foot in a kicking or dragging motion) and moved (caused to go from one place to another). The referee must make the final decision on what is and is not 'kicked and moved' based on the spirit and flow of the match.

The referee must judge carefully whether any particular kick of the ball and subsequent movement was indeed reasonably taken with the intention of putting the ball into play rather than with the intention merely to position the ball for the restart. If the ball is just being repositioned (even if the foot is used to do this), play has not been restarted. Likewise, referees should not unfairly punish for 'failing torespect the required distance' when an opponent was clearly confused by a touch and movement of the ball which was not a restart.

The referee must make the final decision on what is a 'kick' and what is 'not a kick' based on his or her feeling for the game-what FIFA calls 'Fingerspitzengef?hl' (literally: 'sensing with one's
fingertips').
End Quote
Cheers