Question Number: 22718

Law 13 - Free Kicks 1/12/2010

RE: Rec Adult

Bill of Elkridge, MD USA asks...

I am a grade 8 USSF referee but in the game in question my son was playing and I was observing. During the taking of a free kick the player stood in front of the ball and 'scooped' it over the head of a defender. The ref blew the whistle and declared it an illegal kick and awarded the ball to the opposing team. I can't find anything in the LOTG that says what a 'legal' kick is other than, in some instances, it must move forward (as in a kickoff). So ... was it a legal kick or not? If it is not could you direct me to the document stating why?

Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Bill,

Could you clarify or describe what this 'scooping' looked like? A kick must be just that, a kick with the foot to the ball that makes it move from here to there (discernible movement from one spot to another) in order for it to be in play. If 'scooping' is a form of moving the ball with the feet, it could be considered a kick, but I need more information.

If there was no kick, then the free kick did not happen and it must be taken again. Free kicks can be taken in any direction, so direction was not an issue. We look forward to your description of 'scooping' so perhaps we could be of more assistance.

No matter what, if you feel the referee made a mistake, contact the referee assignor or a trusted local instructor or assessor, and ask them to visit with the referee and get his version. This is how retraining takes place.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

It is not illegal to dig the foot under a ball and lift it up into the air just as it is not illegal to roll a ball from here to there with the sole of your foot along the ground. The key in *(MY opinion)* is the ball must CONTINUE to move once the foot is taken away & the foot only ever continues the contact with the ball as a single motion! The ball can not be juggled!
It even states in the LOTG that one or both feet CAN be used to kick a ball into play. I have seen some fancy preset free kicks do exactly that \, including actually trapping the ball between both feet and kind of lift the ball into the air then release it for another team mate to volley it over the wall.

Without seeing the event I can not comment on whether the referee interpreted if the ball was moved in stages instead of a single motion! If at all possible a simple polite request to the referee to explain the call (not a demand or argumentative confrontation) might get you a view of what he thought!

One could demonstrate the kick to a league or association representative who trains the referees to get their opinion an record a comment about the incident in a match report if such avenues are followed within your league.

While many gripes or sour grapes and biases are put forth that are ignored, the well thought out, polite and detailed explanations or comments by coaches, parents or players that question match activities need to be taken seriously!
Ongoing monitoring provide history, data and a way of recognizing if the same things or same coach, player, parent 0r referee keeps popping up on the radar. Thus training could be geared to fixing the things that seem to be broken!

FIFA Quote
LAW 13 ? FREE KICKS page 36
PROCEDURE
For both direct and indirect free kicks, the ball must be stationary when the kick is taken and the kicker must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player.

Interpretation of the laws of the game and guidelines for referees
LAW 13 ? FREE KICKS page 123
PROCEDURE
The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves.
A free kick can be taken by lifting the ball with a foot or both feet
simultaneously
End Quote
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bill
This is not illegal IMO as long as there is not a 'double touch' of the ball but all that counts is the opinion of the referee on the day. The fact that the referee awarded an IDFK suggests a 'double touch' infringement to me
In 1970 there was a famous free kick in the English Premier League where a player used both feet to lift the ball up in the air at a free kick for a team mate to volley the ball into the goal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjq2xT-tx38
There was a lot of controversy at the time as to whether the 'lift' of the ball by the Coventry player using two feet was legal. I believe the Law was amended to deal with these situations which is quoted by Referee Dawson 'A free kick can be taken by lifting the ball with a foot or both feet simultaneously'
I would suspect that a 'scoop' adequately describes a 'lift'. So the Law allows for a 'lift' of the ball and as long as it is one continuous movement without a 'double touch ' I would be happy to allow play to continue.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Without seeing what you saw I don't know if the kick was legal. If it was 'illegal' then the ball was never put in play, so regardless, the referee made an error if he awarded a free kick to the opponents simply based on this so called 'illegal' kick. Were there a second touch, this changes.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 22811