Question Number: 24871

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 5/3/2011

RE: Select Under 15

Joe S of Louisville, KY US asks...

During a recent match, our girls are attacking. The ball comes off the foot of one of our girls and the defender falls over it and traps in under her leg. The CR immediately blows whistle and call for a drop. Can you please explain the rationale for this call? I would have expected something different.
Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The call makes perfect sense in a U8 match where a referee may be quick to stop play to avoid any chance for injury. Little ones may not stop kicking at the ball since they may not appreciate the danger to an opponent on the ground. It sounds like the referee used the same rationale here: why take the chance that the player on the ground may get kicked?

Most players at this level would expect the referee to call dangerous play against the one on the ground, and award an indirect free kick to the nearby opponent who refrains from kicking at the opponent or the ball. The foul, however, requires an opponent to be nearby and to refrain.

As players develop in age and skill, opponents will either stop making a play for the ball (for which they are 'rewarded' with an indirect free kick for play in a dangerous manner) or keep kicking (for which they are 'punished' with the opponent receiving a direct free kick for attempting to kick). At the highest levels, the referee may watch and see how the players find a third way - - quickly getting up and continue to play.

This referee took the path of least risk of injury. The laws permit the referee to do so, and when play is stopped before any foul has been committed, a dropped ball is the appropriate restart. Many referees at this level, however, would wait and see what happens.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

This sounds like it was potentially a situation where Playing in a Dangerous Manner (PIADM) could be called. However, for PIADM to be called requires more than just a dangerous condition:
- threatens injury to someone (including the player herself)
- while an opponent is nearby
- preventing the opponent from playing the ball lest an injury occur

With youth, especially the little ones, we tend to be more proactive and call PIADM sooner rather than later, because the players may not know enough to pull back from play to prevent injury.

Perhaps this referee knew that the third condition was not met, but stopped play anyway to prevent injury. Then by Law 8, the correct restart is a dropped ball. This is because play is stopped for a reason not specified elsewhere in the Laws.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The referee most likely saw a potentially dangerous situation developing and acted to stop it. Since no foul or misconduct accompanied the situation, the only allowable restart is a dropped ball.

At U10 or under, we see referees do this all the time. I would be hesitant to do this at U15 Select but I would also never criticize any referee that was acting with the safety of the players in mind. That is, after all, our primary responsibility.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Joe
If the referee deemed that there was no foul and that the ball got trapped accidentally under the legs of a player the referee would be entitled to stop play and restart with a dropped ball. Some times the player may not even be immediately aware of the position of the ball which can be potentially dangerous.
Typically though the player deliberately lies on top of the ball or fails to move away while on the ground and that is called as playing in a dangerous manner.