Question Number: 12911

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 5/29/2006

RE: Adult

Peter Budd of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

If the referee blows his whistle to stop play for an infringement of any kind, can he decide to wave play on without actually stopping the game?

My understanding is that if he blows the whistle and then changes his mind about the decision, it is not covered under restarts anywhere therefore it would be a drop ball?

Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You are correct. Once a referee blows his whistle, play stops. If he made a mistake and this was an inadvertant whistle, the proper restart is a dropped ball/

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Once play is stopped by the referee he may restart play in three ways: direct free kick [or penalty kick], indirect free kick or a dropped ball. The free kicks are determined by which Law is infringed. If no Law is infringed, Law 8 demands a dropped ball restart.

If the referee stops play for anything and is found to have erred he restarts play with a dropped ball. He can never wave play on after he stops it. Play must be restarted some way.

Note the ball crossing a field boundary is defined as a stoppage of play in Law 9. The possible restarts of play in this case are: throw-in, goal kick, corner kick and kick off. In no case can a referee restart with a dropped ball if play stops because the ball crossed a field boundary.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Pete,
NO he can not you are 100% correct a dropball for the inadvetant whistle . That said I have seen some low level situations where a "MY bad just keep playing" as there was no contensious issue or confrontational atitudes. These situations are exceedling rare and exceedingly likely to fail an assessment.
Too quick a whistle on a ball out that doesn't then the ball stays in must be restarted with a dropball as those playing that ball are likely to quit once a whistle is heard. That is essentially the problem on any incorrect whistle is the reaction of players is to stop playing. This stoppage is likely to disadvantage someone if not all so the dropball is the only fair method to restart under the laws.
Cheers