Question Number: 28089

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/1/2014

RE: Under 19

Alan Dowell of Huntington Beach, CA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 27722

Please clarify. If the offender is OFF the field of play, that itself is misconduct which results in an IFK for the opponent. If the offender is on the field of play, an IFK would be awarded to the offended team, taken from where the offended player was distracted. Of course if within goal area, or on the goal line, set on the goal area line directly from where the misconduct occurred. Both cases should result in an IFK for the defending team.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Alan
Let's be clear about this. If a defender moves off the field of play in a normal part of play then there is no offence. Those situations include momentum, trying to go around a player, etc. and are considered part of playing movement.
When a defender deliberately steps off the field of play to place an opponent in an offside position then that is misconduct. However as the player is taken into consideration for offside purposes the referee allows play to continue and cautions the player at the next stoppage. If a player has stepped off the field deliberately for any other reason there is no disadvantage here to the opponents so play continues and the misconduct is dealt with at the next stoppage.
Now as regards distraction I'm not sure what you mean. The only distraction that I can think off could be verbal such as shouting or gesturing. Again advantage is played if possible. If play has to be stopped for the player to be cautioned then the restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.
An IDFK would be awarded if a player who is off the field of play re-enters without permission. When that happens the referee either plays advantage or if he can't, play is stopped, the re-entering player is cautioned and the restart is an IDFK from where the ball was when play was stopped.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

When play is stopped because of misconduct by a player ON the field of play, the restart is an IFK at the spot of the misconduct.

If play is stopped because of misconduct by a player solely OFF the field of play, the restart is a dropped ball where the ball was located when play restarts. It is not an IFK. There is one exception: if the referee judges that the player left the field for the purpose of committing the misconduct - such as stepping off the field to kick an opponent standing behind the touchline - then the restart is an IFK . The rationale for that is that the misconduct began on the field (that is, when the player decided to exit the field).