Question Number: 20508

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 11/13/2008

RE: Select Under 12

Jay of Sacramento, CA USA asks...

In a recent game, a player from the other team was injured and play was stopped around our defensive 25. A drop ball was going to be the restart. It is my understanding there are no laws or policies that state how many people must be in a drop ball restart. Thus, I had two of my players in the drop to try and have the ball not played into the box. The referee insisted one of my players leave. When they did not, he rolled the ball to a player on the other team directly in front of the goal around the 25.

Am I correct that a drop does not have to be 1v1, but can have a differential in numbers. And two, what can a coach do when a ref rolls the ball to the other team and clearly gives them an advantage.

If I owe this referee an appology, I would like to know, he is a regular in our league.

Jay

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

As a tradition, the team that has ball possession when play is stopped solely for an injury generally gets the ball back by either the opposing team not participating in the drop ball or offering to return it .

THAT is a CHOICE the players/teams decide upon, it is not a referee's mandate to interfere with any restart.

While a ball is most often returned it is done in such a way as to not be too advantageous as in the ball is kicked back out of play for a throw in or way back into the defending half to the opposing keeper.

A referee could suggest to teams as yet unaware of their options as a way of mediating a crisis but by ACTIVELY doing as he did the referee has instigated an UNFAIR crisis.

A drop ball in a scoring position is definitely one as a defending coach we are wanting to participate if the opposing team is equal to that attack principle as we are to the defend principle.

FAIR PLAY are but words unless actions demonstrate they mean something!

The referee is 100% incorrect and uses a traditional concept to promote HIS version of FAIR PLAY which of course is in fact a misapplication of law and against the spirit of the laws.
Mind you the player should not be arguing a direct action of a referee not to back away no matter it could be wrong. Dissent is dissent whether or not the referee is correct or not. If anyone should be apologizing your referee is the one to be doing it! Mind you if you lost it on field and went after him acting irresponsibly then you too have failed what the game demands. A referee is not immune from error, always treat them with respect and do not confront them publically, to do so you fail in your duty as a coach to set the examples for the youth.
Whether or not this was a USA highschool match and 1 versus 1 drop was part of their law change policy or a FIFA sanctioned match where the number participatingis unlimited the referee requires reeducation on the proceedure of a drop ball. A polite written explanation of the incident submitted to the league asking for clarification should get the ball rolling and the correct information to those who requires it!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It sounds like you had a referee who was familiar with the NFHS (high school) rules. Those rules require each team to have exactly one player present at a dropped ball.

In the Laws of the Game, there is no mention of how many players need be present. I did a dropped ball with zero players once, in a U8 game. I couldn't get anyone's attention to come over to where the ball was to be dropped, so finally I just dropped it and yelled, 'Ball's in play!'

If you report this overly-creative referee to your league coordinators, he may be able to get additional training so that next time he gets it right.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Rolling the ball is not dropping the ball. The referee has overstepped his authority and breached the Law. What you can do is contact the referee assignor, preferably in writing, and tell the story. Ask the assignor to contact the referee for his side and to double check your understanding of what the referee said and did.

The assignor, assuming said assignor is knowledgeable in the Laws, will help correct this situation for future reference. You can also see about talking to a senior referee in your parts and have him/her intercede.

And/or, you could copy a page from the Advice to Referees, the USSF publication, under Law 8, section 8.5 and politely give it to him the next time you see him - no words necessary:
'8.5 DROPPED BALL
There is no requirement that players from both teams?or that any player?must take part at a dropped ball.
A dropped ball must be 'dropped,' not thrown down. The referee should hold the ball in the palm of
the hand at waist level with the other hand on top of the ball. At the proper moment, the referee should
then pull away the hand beneath the ball and let it drop, taking care that the players do not play it until it has hit the ground. If the dropped ball leaves the field without having been played, the ball must be dropped again where it was previously dropped. The goalkeeper may participate at dropped balls.'

We all make mistakes, and if approached appropriately, most are willing to admit and correct.

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

While the referee erred with his decision to roll the ball, and therefore move from an unbiased participant, to a biased participant, I am a firm believer in making the appropriate phone calls to referee assignors, etc. AFTER the game, rather than telling him what a screwed up referee he is in front of the impressionable youth players, and consistently wrong spectators. By doing anything else, you only add injury to his insult. If the referee has breached Law 5, it is NEVER appropriate to address this with him during a match. So, if you did do that, then you should apologize to him for not setting the appropriate and respectful example towards his authority as a referee in front of your players and spectators. It sounds like the referee did screw up. A phone call to the referee coordinator for the league is your appropriate course of action -- the referee can get unscrewed up by them, not by you.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

What did you do that would demand an apology? Did you yell at the referee and tell him he was wrong or otherwise argue with him? Whether the referee was correct or not (and clearly he was not), you should never argue with the referee especially in front of young children. If you did so, then you should apologize even if you were correct. Had this rolling of the ball caused your team to lose it would have been protestable as the referee breeched the letter of the Law.

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

See Question: 20529

See Question: 20531