Question Number: 36001

Law 1- The Field 8/29/2025

RE: House league Under 17

Kosta of Ottaww, ON Canada asks...

Hello,
I was refereeing a low key house league U16 game (single referee). A defending player kikcked the ball and it was going out over the goal line. In aticipation of the ball leaving the field I raised my arm to indicate the corner kick just as the ball was crossing the goal line (there were no other players in a vicinity of the ball, either attacking or defending). Well, did I pull a trigger a bit too soon: the ball hit a rock (that was sitting right on the edge of the field), without crossing the touch line rebounded back onto the field, and an attacking player picked it up and pressed an attack.
I did not whistle the play dead as I did not quite know what to do, but, luckily, the attack did not result in goal scored, or I surely would have heard it from the players and spectators.
Should I have stopped the play for outside interference? What would have been a proper restart - a corner kick as if the ball would have left the field if not for a rock or a drop ball? Who would get the drop ball if the ball was last touched outside the penalty box?
Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Kosta,
I wouldn't beat yourself up too bad my friend. It looks like things worked out. It's always good to review an incidence that trigger you to think hmm???.
Well let's talk about this rock!
How big was this rock?
Why is it tight to the goalline?
Safety first = field inspection.

That said, it could be a depression or small upraised rock on a rock gravel field or even wet mud, slows up what looks like an exit. Sometimes things just happen. You can't prepare for the meteorite crashing into the field These 1. off events are just things that you have to deal with. You should though identify any issues with field conditions prior to kick off!

While true generally there's no need to whistle signal a stoppage for a CLEAR corner unless the ball barely clears the line in a marginal manner. A simple pointing at the corner flag versus goal area does fine to distinguish who has possession. We do often whistle corners in to -RESTART- because there's the constant pushing and shoving inside the goal area that seems to take place, which we're supposed to be dealing with, but even that's not technically necessary. More to do with common sense and game management

Signaling a corner, if the decision is OBVIOUS, the reason to signal may be unnccessary.
There is no absolute need to whistle for a ball out of play unless it is a tight decsion requiring intervention.

Point to the correct flag, yell "Corner", if need be, the fact that you never made any noise well then technically you haven't stopped play, maybe you're just stretching your arm, even if players thought different. I like to remind coaches and players, play to the whistle! be it a simple arm movement or a raised flag. IF!!! that whistle has not gone, you continue to play unless the ball is 100. percent obviously into touch.


What you should, versus what you did?

Although having this rock being sufficient sizes to stop the ball from exiting the field has me wondering safety, I think we're pretty much in agreement letting play continue is probably the right. course of action in this particular case.

You could of course, whistle, stop play, remove the rock? and awarded a DBall.

If the ball does not completely exit into touch off of the field you can not award a goal kick, corner kick or throw-in.

You could just consider this rock as part of the playing condition as it was there the entire time and it wasn't from an outside source. Kind of like an overhanging tree branch. Maybe next time do a field inspection and make sure there's no obvious impediments around the field . I've seen something similar with a water bottle but that is an outside item.

The issue could be if this incident along the goal line is inside the PA (penalty area ) it is a DB to the keeper.
The laws make it whoever last touched the ball prior to the whistle if the restart is a DB then it is their ball.
The fact that the ball was last touched by a defender that was headed out of play in favor of the attacker it seems rather incongruous to award a DBall to the defending team having last played said ball when it was apparently destined to be a corner for the attackers.

The best advice that we can give you is when you're on the soccer field is allow play to continue as much as possible unless there is a definitive need to intercede. The only time you're gonna blast a whistle or intercede immediately the situation is of such grievous transparancey you're already blowing, even as it's happening, as you're running to the spot.

I suggest always trying to give yourself a little time to think, keeping your whistle away from your mouth as if it was glued velcro to the side of shorts. Where you have to rip it away to get it to your lips in order to make the decision, so you're not too overly quick to take away an opportunity. I'm talking about making the decision here, not about the actual blowing of the whistle.

So you jumped the gun a little. Generally a ball moving towards the goal line or touch line usually has sufficient speed that you can tell it's going to be completely clear. Or that if the players in pursuit whether they have a chance to stop it, just relax let the game flow. Wait and see. A referee can be proactive in their approach to heading off troubleby focusing on atitudes and conditions but let play unfold.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Kosta
Thanks for the question.
First thing that springs to mind is a safety issue. Having a large “rock” close to the goal line runs the high risk of injury to players.
The second point is that both teams should be on notice before kick off that either A The ball hits the rock it is play on if it stays on the field of play or B it is outside interference and a drópped ball at that location. My preference is B as it eliminates any rub of the green situations such as in your example.

As to your situation and I assume with the absence of how this interference would be treated the only decision in Law is to play on.
Now an arm signal is in my opinion not sufficient interference unlike an inadvertent whistle to halt play. Players generally are not looking at the referee in many situations which is why we have a whistle.
The old adage of play to the whistle is relevant here. It is akin to the raised flag by an assistant which may be seen yet until the referee takes the flag it is play on. Players may not like it yet that is the way it is. Might be tough particularly if a player/s stopped playing for a raised flag yet only the whistle halts play. I assume the attacker paid not attention to your raised arm and defenders should follow suit. Sure they might not have seen it.

In your case I believe the only decision is to play on and accept the outcome. It is why I prefer Option B as mentioned earlier. The ball hits the outside interference then it puts the ball out of play and a drópped ball results which in this case it is to the goalkeeper if the interference was inside the penalty area and to the defending team if it is outside the penalty area as that team was last team to touch the ball.
Again it might be tough yet that is what the Law mandates.

Final point is that there is no need for urgency in making most decisions as mentioned by Referee Dawson. Delay a seconds or two and then make the call. That wait and see period can give a referee thinking time and then call it depending on what transpires.