Question Number: 19858

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 9/1/2008

RE: Rec Under 15

Robert White of La Honda, Calif. USA asks...

I was reading your article on the correct protocol for dropped balls. It stated that for 'simultaneous' kicks by players from opposing teams that go out bounds across the touch or goal lines are not to be addressed with a drop ball but must be either throw in, goal or corner kick.

Is there a general protocol to be used in the event that neither the center nor the AR could truly tell who had touched the ball last? Err to the defender? Err to the attacker?

How do you approach this?

Thanks again for your time here. Every time I visit I pick up something new and valuable.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Logically, according to the Laws, someone touched the ball last, even if it was by a milli-second. Use your best referee judgment taking into account the field, the level of play, the postion on the field of the dropped ball, etc. as to who that player was and proceed accordingly.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The referee must make a decision. He must not be seen to be unable to make that decision. The ball has crossed the longer of the field boundaries. There is only one restart possible, throw-in.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Generally the restart is determined by what you do not know in cases where you are blocked from a clear sight. Often on the deflections of a ball squirting over a touch or goal line are based on the physics where it is most likely one player or the other was the last touch! The defensive choice of least affecting outcome usually points us away from attacking options. We make a best guess based on the least harm or go with the percentage of what we think .

I will disagree slightly there are RARE moments when a drop ball could be in fact correct instead of a throw in, corner, goal kick or free kick. Simultaneous touches of a ball where it is trapped between two opposing players and in contact with BOTH those players as it is carried over a touchline or goal line boundary. If I see that ACTUALLY occur I have no issue with a drop ball. I have only seen it twice although a recent question was posted about this rare occurrence raised interesting observations. WE make a decision to avoid indecision. If you see something as it REALLY is you have justification to do what is correct.

FIFA had stated only recently that a drop ball for two opposing players engaged in simultaneous or more than one offence occurring at the same time
? Offences committed by players from different teams:
? the referee must stop play and restart it with a dropped ball
from the position of the ball at the time of the stoppage, unless
play was stopped inside the goal area, in which case the referee
drops the ball on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at
the point nearest to where the ball was located when play was
stopped.

Please do no think I advocate looking for a drop ball instead of making a ball in or out of play decision based on who actually last touched it. In truth this concept is more sutited to the referee who has figured out the reason why a dropball rarely works to isolate the rare times when it might.
Cheers