Question Number: 16985

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 9/30/2007

RE: Select Under 15

Franco of Bloomington, USA asks...

Law 8 says, "A dropped ball is a way of restarting the match after a temporary stoppage that becomes necessary, while the ball is in play, for any reason not mentioned elsewhere in the Laws of the Game."

Okay if you see a foul you stop play unless advantage is given- WHISTLE

You see misconduct and you blow a whistle to caution or whatever needs to be done at that moment- WHISTLE

Out of play- throw in, goal kick, corner

Goal- kick off

Keeper stops a shot and gathers in the ball - play never stopped

OKAY DROPPED BALL- I saw misconduct, but did not stop play immediately because I did not want to punish the innocent side and in my opinion there was no immediate danger so I let play go on for a while - then I decide I better stop play and take care of the incident I witnessed - issue a card, talking too, red card or whatever.

I see this as, I the ref, stopped the play and thought dropped ball was necessary. Play was going on and nothing else happened to stop play and it appeared every thing was okay - THEN I BLOW MY WHISTLE. If I had stopped it when it originally happened then a free kick-, where did I go wrong

Franco

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The restart always follows the reason play was stopped. If you stopped for an offense under Law 12, direct or indirect free kick. Offside, indirect. Misconduct only, indirect. Ball leaves the field - goalkick, corner kick, throw-in, kick-off. Anything else is a dropped ball. Stopping for injury not caused by an offense punishable under Law 12 = dropped ball. Stopping play to chew out two or more players who are very close to losing control but no misconduct = dropped ball. Misconduct off the field causing you to stop play = dropped ball. Burst ball = dropped ball. You blow your whistle for the wrong thing = dropped ball for inadvertent whistle. Keep it simple.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Franco. If I understand you correctly, you still stopped play for misconduct on the field by a player and the only acceptable restart for this is an indirect free kick. If the misconduct was off the field of play then a dropped ball. You didn't inadvertently blow your whistle and there was no injury. You specifically wanted to caution a player and issue a card. Restart is IFK. Had you stopped play merely to talk with the player (which is almost always a really bad idea) then you restart with a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

You keep trying to defend yourself in using a dropped ball as an item of convenience.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 17073