Question Number: 26032

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 3/5/2012

RE: Any Other

Ron Woodruff of Milford, Ohio United States asks...

I have a Dropped Ball question from the 'Advice to Referees' booklet.

On the 8.6 restart chart for a dropped ball it says that a goal cannot be scored directly, only AFTER it hits the ground. Shouldn't the chart say that someone has to touch it?

Example: A very windy game on turf may cause the ball to roll directly into the goal.

Am I correct to say that, technically, a dropped ball isn't in play until it has touched the ground AND someone touches it?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The ball is in play when the ball touches the ground - not when it is touched by a player. This usually makes a difference only in deciding whether a foul has been committed (was the punch before or after?). The ATR chart addresses what happens if a dropped ball then leaves the field of play without touching a player. Since the referee last touched the ball, who would get the throw-in/goalkick/cornerkick? The restart is a redo of the dropped ball.

IFAB has just added a complication. A goal cannot be scored directly from a dropped ball; it must touch at least two players (the one who first kicks it, and then another player). This makes a dropped ball an odd form of IFK. We will be waiting for clarification from USSF on how this will be interpreted. The intention was to cover sporting returns of the ball, but the language seems to cover all dropped balls.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ron
The ball is in play when it touches the ground. However the Law also says that if the ball leaves the field of play after it makes contact with the ground,
without a player touching it the dropped ball is retaken. That would apply to the ball entering the goal.
Pervention is better than cure. Referees should never drop the ball close to the goal in these situation but rather use the 6 yard line.

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