Question Number: 12193

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 2/13/2006

RE: Rec Other

Roger Hodgkiss of Nashua, New Hampshire USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 10313

I have been wondering a lot about the drop ball restart. I don't seem to find many guidelines with regard to how close team mates may be to those taking the drop, how should the referee position himself when the drop is to occur in the goal area, etc.
Is this discussed in more detail in other publications or websites?
Thanks in advance.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

There is no requirement that ANYONE participate in a dropped ball. That said, the referee may not REQUIRE a team NOT to participate. I bring this up because the referee has a lot of lattitude in how to administrate the taking of a dropped ball. At higher level of play, teams/players automatically do what's proper to insure fair play. At lower levels this doesn't occur. The referee is perfectly within Law to drop the ball to a single player or suggest to one team not to participate. This can be very confusing to both players and coaches of lower level teams especially at the recreational level, so if there's an instance where the only fair thing is to drop it to one team, that's what I'll do rather than suggest one team not participate. But.... I haven't answered your question! The ball is DROPPED not thrown. The referee should hold it with the palm of his hand UNDER the ball and drop it from waist level. I always say to the players, "Wait until the ball hits the ground. Don't kick the referee." I like the players to be a few feet apart and will drop it right in the middle. The ball is not in play until it hits the ground. If it is kicked by either team before the ball hits the ground, the drop is retaken. A goal MAY be scored directly from a dropped ball. If the drop occers inside the goal area, that's a tough break for the defense, but the drop comes out to the goal area line (the 6 yard line) parallel to where the ball was when play was stopped. If for whatever reason it's to be a fair drop for both teams and it occurs in the goal area, I'll simply follow usual procedures. Since most dropped balls in youth soccer occur due to injury and most within the goal area because the keeper hasn't relinquished control of the ball. I'll tell the keeper to throw the ball to the side. If it's an opponent's that's injured and the keeper threw the ball away, I'll just drop it back to his team.