Question Number: 23342

Law 13 - Free Kicks 5/19/2010

RE: Competitve High School

Betty Franchi of Arlington, VA United States asks...

Team A is awarded a free kick. Player 1 takes the kick as the ref walks across the area. The ball thus hits the ref and player 1 touches the ball again. The ref awarded the ball to the other team. Is this the correct call as it was the ref that walked into the ball?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

That is correct. The player taking the kick is not allowed to touch the ball a second time until it is touched by another player (of either team). The referee is not a player.

If the ref was walking across the area, there are two possibilities. The ref could have intentionally walked into the path of a very slow moving ball. Or the ball could have been kicked into the slow-moving ref. I suspect it was the latter, and the kicker has no one but himself to blame. Sure, the ref should have avoided crossing the area where the ball was likely to be kicked. But if he was walking, it's likely that the kicker should have seen position of the ref and could have not kicked the ball toward him.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

The referee is considered part of the field of play, like a goalpost, and not a player. So even though the ball has struck the referee, the kicker is not allowed to touch the ball as it has not yet touched another player.

It's unfortunate that this happened, but the referee made the correct decision.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Ugh. Right result, wrong reason. Not sure why the referee found himself walking through an area to be used in a free kick - that's not very good mechanics at a minimum. Referees are normally trained to stay clear of the area of the free kick so that 1) they can observe to make sure there is no encroachment or other problem and 2) they can see where the ball is going and what happens next. This is hard to do when the ref is in the way.

When the player kicks the ball and it rebounds to him from the ref, it is as if it has hit a dirt clod on the field and rebounded. So the player is guilty of a second touch offense, which will result in an IDFK for the other team.

It is possible that the referee had told the kicker to hold the kick until he whistled and the kicker kicked it anyway. That would explain the ref's position. But if that were the case, the kick should have been retaken. Hmm.

It is also possible that the kicker deliberately targeted the referee - somewhat unlikely.

At any rate, it is not a good result, any way it is parsed.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Betty
Correct decision by the referee to award an IDFK for a double touch violation. However one needs to ask why it happened as referees are advised through training etc to not get in the way of play. Of course it does happen in active play. One of the risks that team take with 'quick free kicks' is that untoward incidents can and do happen including the ball being intercepted by opponents with 10 yards.
If it was on a 'ceremonial' free kick it would not happen as the referee would instruct the taker not to play the ball until after the whistle when the referee has arranged for the defensive wall to be back 10 yards and he is in position. In that case the taker would be cautioned and the free kick is retaken if he did not follow that instruction.