Question Number: 12954

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 6/4/2006

RE: Competive Under 13

JMT of Houston, texas USA asks...

Blue player is injured and ref calls for drop ball about 28 yards away from Blue goal. The ref instructs white player to kick ball back to goalie and for blue defenders to stay away. Important to know that ball is still (not dropped) on ground, White kicks ball softly back to keeper then runs after the ball trying to score, keeper finally keeps possesion after diving for the ball.
The question is; is this consider double-touch by white? remember ball was still at the restart of play AND Blue was not given the chance to take part of the drop ball.

Thank you and keep up the good work.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi JMT.
this is a classic example of WHY a referee does NOT INSTRUCT players on WHAT to DO in these situations. We appreciate good sportsmanship and the players generally reap as they sow. I have suggested options to players when presented with these situations but I refrain from telling them they must do anything except follow their coaches instructions and their sense of right or wrong. A dropball restart was correct if play was stopped soley to deal with an injury. Once the ball is dropped it is live and available for play.
The White player is NOT quilty of a second touch playing a drop ball, in fact he could dribble the ball back to the keeper if he so wished. However, in this restart it is horendously wrong in so many ways . The ball can not be left on the ground it must be dropped!. The referee has incorrectly imposed himself on the game by NOT allowing the opposition to participate and failed to drop the ball and this play if it resulted in a goal could easily be protested. Given the blue player 's keeper came up with the ball we can breath a sigh of relief.

It is NOT a referee's job to say who may or may not participate in a drop ball only ensure that the ball hits the ground first before it is played.
It is permissable to drop the ball to zero, one or 22 players nothing in law states who or where abouts the participants must stand at the taking of a drop ball. Nor does a referee HAVE to call anyone over to the spot of the drop. By this method many referees return a ball to the keeper say after an injury stoppage where he had posession with only the keeper present. Now we can not deny the opposition the right to come and participate but we are under no obligation to call them over to participate.
I will say this IF the WHITE player tells me that he wants to return the ball by kicking to the BLUE keeper I will accept HIS word and if he breaks it then he has decieved me as well as the opposition and this would not be tolerated. Gamesmenship is one thing deliberately cheating to gain an unfair advantage is not acceptable!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The referee does not have the power to demand this; though I have in the past, it does not make it a good idea. Players are going to do as they please and sometimes they will take advantage of a situation.

One must remember that for the ball to be in play it must hit the ground. Not hitting the ground is always a fall back should a player try to take advantage of a situation presented.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

The only warm body that must be involved in a dropped ball is that of the referee. It is traditionally accepted that one player from each team is present. This is not mandated. The referee is supposed to be an unbiased official whose sole job is to enforce the LOTG and interfere with play only when required. The dropped ball is a method of restarting play when there is no other way to restart play under the LOTG.

You mentioned that the referee called for a dropped ball, but then never dropped it? It would seem from that description the ball was never properly put into play. Had a goal resulted, it should not be counted and the game could be contested as the referee failed to properly apply the LOTG.