Question Number: 25061

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 6/5/2011

RE: Competitive Adult

Jack Smith of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25036

I don't really want to beat a dead horse, but that quote doesn't prove the panel correct at all.

That quote comes from the section, in which a player commits violent conduct against a spectator ON the field of play, while the ball is in play.

Why the dropped ball restart? It's because it's assumed that the spectator entering the field of play has become an outside interference by interfering with play moments before the player commits violent conduct against them. Naturally, one would have to assume that they're interfering if they're putting themselves in a position to be struck by a player.

But this wasn't the original question. There was a spectator, well off the field of play, who had offensive, insulting abusive language used against them, by a player, whilst the ball was in play. You can hardly stretch 'outside interference' if a spectator is off the field of play, doing none other than watching the game. They haven't interfered with play at all ... it happens that the player is directing their potty mouth off the field of play, and is the one who has started the entire situation. Therefore, you're not stopping play due to outside interference - you're stopping play to caution/send-off the player.

'commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which
play is stopped to caution or send off a player'

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jack
If you consider that a player punches a spectator while the ball is in play and inside the field of play the restart is a dropped ball from where play was stopped. That is a serious sending off offence. Now what has the player done in using offensive, insulting and abusive language while the ball is in play and inside the field of play other than a similar serious sending off offence. The restart has to be the same which is a dropped ball from where play was stopped.
Remember that the offence took place on the field of play against a person off the field of play not connected with the game and the referee deemed it necessary to stop play. It is an IDFK if the person is a match official, a team mate, opponent or technical staff in the same circumstances.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No Jack, when a player commits ANY misconduct against 'any other person' the restart is a dropped ball regardless where the misconduct takes place. What is written on page 120 applies to ALL misconduct, not just Violent Conduct. When this first appeared it caused some lively debate as it appears after the section on Violent Conduct but it's been accepted by virtually all national organizations to apply to any misconduct. Free kick restarts are reserved for misconduct against participants in the match. Misconduct directed against all other persons results in a dropped ball restart.

Read over what is written on page 120 carefully. The term Violent Conduct is never used only the term 'offence'.

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

See Question: 25089