Question Number: 23218

Law 13 - Free Kicks 4/30/2010

RE: Rec, Select Under 13

James of Gulf Breeze, FL USA asks...

If a team is awarded a free kick and chooses to take the kick before all defenders have left the required distance, and the team kicks the ball at one of these defenders, does play continue even if they claim that they aren't outside the required distance?
This is what I would assume because the team chose to take the free kick and not wait until the defenders respected the required distance.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee James
If the attacking team takes a quick free kick and it is intercepted by the defense, then play continues. If however the defending team moves toward the ball and prevents the QFK from being taken, the kick is retaken and a possible caution for delaying the restart of play is in order. It is the referee's judgment whether it is an interception or otherwise.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The team that takes the quick free kick cannot complain that there is someone within ten yards. However, when the defender moves toward the kicker (including sticking out his foot), this can and should be punished as misconduct.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

The attacking team has the right to take the kick quickly - if they choose to exercise that right then they're accepting the risk if the defenders are too close.

If the attacking team wants the full 10 yards, they should ask the referee to manage the distance.

Of course, the defending team are the ones with the responsibility to retire 10 yards, but let's assume that they're making reasonable efforts to move back. Even if the defender is standing still (say, in the first second or two after the whistle, while he's still trying to figure out what's happening), there may not be much of an issue here.

If, however, the defending team move to prevent the kick being taken - including moving across to block the kick - then this becomes a cautionable offence.

Some referees will allow it if the defender waits until after the ball has been kicked, some will still consider this an infringement.

Basically, unless the defenders have actively moved towards the ball to block the kick, then kicking the ball at the defenders is not a smart choice - the referee should allow play to continue as it's the attacking team's fault for taking a bad kick.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Taking a QFK before the defense has had time to retire or while they are still within 10 yards is the attacking team's privilege. However, should the kick not be successful, hit a defender, or directly to a defender who is not moving toward the ball, they cannot then complain they didn't get their 10 yards!

If a defender does interfere with the taking of the kick, he should be cautioned and the kick will be retaken.