Question Number: 20129

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 10/2/2008

RE: COMPET Adult

jon of Liberty, MO USA asks...

A referee blows his whistle by mistake and then yells play-on. Is this correct procedure? thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

No. Play stops with the whistle, whether the referee meant it to or not. This is usually an "Aw, crud" moment for the referee. Since 'inadvertent whistle' is not a reason found in the Laws of the Game for a stoppage, the restart is a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No. Play stops when he blows the whistle. the ONLY proper restart is a dropped ball. This referee should quickly drop the ball to whatever team had the ball and get on with the game

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

No.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

100% Not correct, although I have seen it done and even used it in my earlier days at least once that I recall.

An inadvertant whistle is a dropball.

You can drop to whom ever, the unforunate thing as referee is you are not suppossed to contest who chooses to participate and that could create issues.

I recall a player on the adjoinging field ran over to our field to retrieve another ball from his game. As luck would have it our play was a ball just kicked into the corner and only a single defender was in pursuit. I blew the whistle everyone stopped the other ball retrived and I just waved play to continue . Certainly not correct proceedure but it did not alter the game dynamics at all as the ball was uncontested in the corner and no team had any advantage over the other. That said if you do such a thing it could cost you in the assessment so don't.
Cheers