Question Number: 23860

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 8/31/2010

RE: Competitive Under 17

Anish of Sligo, Sligo County Ireland asks...

Ok so I was watching a match on tv one day, and something strange happened. A fan threw a ball onto the field. As one of the players took a shot, the match ball hit the fan's ball, therefore deflecting, not giving the goalkeeper a chance, and going in the goal. The ref awarded the goal. Obviously the players from the opposing team protested at this. My question is what would normally be done in this case?

Thanks anish, Ireland.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Anish
The correct answer here is that the referee should stop play as the second ball interfered with play. The restart is a dropped ball from where play was stopped.
You might recall the incident in the Sunderland V Liverpool game last season when the ball hit a red balloon. The referee did not see that the balloon interfered with play and he allowed the goal. He was shown to be incorrect and he should have stopped play and restarted with a dropped ball as in this case. He made a mistake, the interference did not register with him and allowed the goal which happens sometimes and that's part of the game.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

There were a few instances I saw in the 2010 World Cup where the ballboys were hustling too much and more than one ball ended up on the field. In at least one of those cases, play had to be stopped because the second ball interfered with play. In another, someone retrieved the extra ball or a player kicked it out and play could continue.

For some reason the referee you saw on TV didn't think the extra ball was an interference.

The restart is a dropped ball from the spot the (real) ball was when play was stopped.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Anish, normally game is stopped as soon as there is outside interference. Now interference could be very minor and could, as in this instance result in a goal. Minor ones we let go and major ones we stop play and restart with a drop ball where the ball was except for Law 13. Your example is of the mega variety and the referee seemed to have erred. Oops!

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The game should have been stopped immediately and restarted with a dropped ball where the ball was when the interference occurred subject to specifications in Law 13