Question Number: 23059

Law 13 - Free Kicks 4/3/2010

RE: High School High School

Howard Bacon of Savannah, GA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 22811

Following on this question, had a similar incident. IFK 5 yards back of the penalty line by attacking team. Player A taps the ball, no movement, Player B then immediately after kicks and the ball goes over the goal. Based on my understanding of Law 13, the ball was in play when moved and while not touched a second time, went out of play and I awarded a goal kick to the defending team. I've been challenged by associates that this was not the correct call (was in a heatedly contested match between HS rivals) believing the ball was never in play. Can you provide clarification??? Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Although the referee must decide if the ball was put in play by the first or the second touch of the ball, the ball in this situation was put in play by one of the two, and neither kicker touched it twice in a row. You made the correct decision - - goal kick.

But, silence sets up the situation for trouble in the future. As you run past the initial kicker, remind her that the tap of the ball did not put the ball into play and that you are watching to see if the ball is kicked and moved. That can pay dividends when the team repeats the set play, but this time the ball enters the goal.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Bacon
Either way the ball was put into play and you made the correct decision with the restart of a goal kick. The much bigger decision would have been if it entered the goal to either allow the goal or restart with a goal kick.
Also why would the referee give the attack a second chance to score ??
The tap with no movement would mean that it was not in play and therefore a goal could not be scored directly from an IDFK.
The referee is the judge of whether the ball moved or not in compliance with the Law.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves. That happened on one of the touches; you decided the second one.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Ref Howard, I'm a little baffled by the failure of USSF referees to not know the difference between the ball being put into play and the ball being allowed to score a goal. This is high school and NFHS rules state the ball shall be moved in any direction to be in play. So it MUST move. USSF is even more specific when they state tapping the ball on the top does NOT constitute kicked and moved and that the ball must go 'from here to there.' So, of COURSE the ball was put into play by the kicker that shot the ball over the net. Since Indirect, it couldn't score directly but definitely the ball was in play. I know it's hot and humid in Savannah but no more than here in Atlanta so we can't blame the heat for this inability of our fellow referees to understand a simple concept. Come to think of it, there are many referees around here that would make them take the kick over as it "was never in play" which is ridiculous and something every Grade 9 should know cold. Maybe the sun does affect us all. You were correct in your decision and you should educate your fellow referees as to what in play means

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

See Question: 23492