Question Number: 23876

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 9/5/2010

RE: Competitive Adult

Bruce Smith of Toowoomba, Qld Australia asks...

A corner kick is taken and whilst the ball is in the air a spectator blows a whistle. All players stop and the ball enters the net. What is the ruling?
Would this be outside interference? Should it be an Indirect Free Kick to the defending team?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bruce
This is indeed outside interference and the referee should stop play and the goal is disallowed. The restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped by the referee ie where it was when the whistle was blown by the spectator.

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The goal is disallowed. Since the ball was in play the only restart allowed is a dropped ball from where the ball was when the whistle was heard.

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Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Referee Bruce, I don't quite understand how you can even consider an IDFK on outside interference. It would be inherently unfair. Since the players stopped on the unauthorized whistle, the play must be stopped and restarted with a drop ball. If play is stopped for any type of outside interference, even substitutes, the restart is always a drop ball, even if a goal stopped by the goalkeeper's lover.

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