Question Number: 27484

Law 13 - Free Kicks 5/26/2013

RE: Competitive Adult

John of Melbourne, Victoria Australia asks...

I just got curious watching a soccer match but when are the players allowed to take a quick free kick? Is there a minimum distance from goals to allow quick free kick? If it's just outside the box, can they still take quick free kick? or does referee have to blow the whistle to signal the attackers to take the free kick?

Secondly, what happens if the referee blows the whistle to allow the free kick to be taken and scores a goal but the goalkeeper was still organising his wall before the whistle blew? Should the free kick be retaken?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Players are entitled to take a free kick whenever they wish, provided the referee does not have to hold up the restart for some reason. Typical reasons would be injury, misconduct or substitutions.

Some referees, in order to make their own life easier, will insist that kicks be ceremonial in certain situations. I've heard referees say they will never allow a quick free kick in a dangerous scoring position. Their reasoning is that the defense will complain if the kick scores a goal. I heartily disagree with that line of thought. The foul stopped attacking play; now the ref is colluding with the defense to further take away a scoring chance just because he doesn't want to deal with dissent? Sorry, deal with any dissent that happens.

On your second question, the defense has no right to delay to get themselves organized before the kick is taken. They must be ready to go whenever play resumes. If they can't communicate effectively enough to get into desired positions, that's their own problem.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
The quick free kick debate. Generally if a team wants to take a quick free kick the referee should facilitate that. Once they do so then the team must accept the positioning of opponents at the time of kick even if opponents are closer than 10 yards. The referee does not have to sound the whistle and the ball is in play when the ball is kicked and moves.
What does happen regularly is that the defending team position players in front of the ball so it is highly unlikely that the free kick can be taken easily. Once the referee intervenes or asked to intervene then a QFK is then not possible until the distance has been enforced fully.
As regards your 2nd question once the referee sounds the whistle then the kicking team can take the free kick and there is no onus on the referee ensuring that the defending team is set to defend it just that the 10 yards is enforced.
What has happened over the years is that referee at the highest level make most if not all 'scoring' free kicks 'ceremonial' in nature and they will not allow the kick to be taken until everyone is ready. That suits most teams who have a free kick 'expert' who wants the 10 yards fully enforced and is happy to wait for the whistle. That has crept down the ranks where players now expect 'scoring' free kicks to be on the whistle.
This is the advice given to UEFA senior referees
""Quick free kick
A free kick may be taken quickly ? without the referee's whistle ? provided that:
# no disciplinary sanction is to be taken
# the free kick is taken quickly after play is stopped (i.e. few seconds?)
# the ball is stationary at the place of the offence
# the free kick requires no management by the referee
# the referee has not yet started to control the wall / the opponents to get them back the appropriate distance
If an opponent deliberately prevents a quick free kick being taken he must be cautioned.""