Question Number: 29905

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 11/10/2015

RE: Rec Adult

W Hidalgo of Harrison, NJ USA asks...

According to Law 8 and Law 14, the ball has to be kick forward to start play, does this applies to Law 13? To my understanding a Kick-off and a Penalty kick are both on essence a 'Free Kick', you can score from both, or can I back-heel a Free / Indirect Kick?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi ,
the 2 free kicks that have the must go forward clause are mentioned in LAW 8 Kick Offs (single starting point at midfield to begin play and after a goal is scored )and in law 14 Penalty Kicks which specifies the DFK offences of LAW 12 Fouls and Misconduct are confined to a single spot for restart location on the 12 yd pk spot.

Outside your PA they occur where the infraction occurs and there are NO DIRECTIONAL restrictions. Law 12 states INDFKS and DFKS are awarded for fouls or infringements !

Law 16 Goal kick has special restrictions of the ball exiting the PA and placement within the goal area but NO DIRECTIONAL restrictions..

Law 17 Corner kicks placement within the ARC but NO DIRECTIONAL restrictions.

Law 13 mentions special circumstances of INDFK for attackers within the opposing goal area as well as DFK or INDFKs occurring in favour of the defenders out of their own goal area as to placement but once again the ball has NO DIRECTIONAL restrictions except to come into play it must be exiting into the FOP!

You are correct you can only score directly on a kick off or a PK by simply kicking it forward . You can use any part of your foot to do so.
This applies to any DFK or INDFK restart except there is NO restriction the ball must travel forward! You can indeed back heel a free kick be it a DFK or a INDFK in ANY direction .
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
There are only two restarts in the game where the ball must be kicked forward. In the case of a kick off and a penalty kick. If the ball is kicked backwards at a kick off it is a retake whereas if the ball is kicked backwards at a penalty kick the kick is over and the restart is an indirect free kick from the penalty mark.
Now some have argued that as the ball is not kicked forward at a penalty kick that it should be treated the same as a kick off with a retake. In 2006 the FIFA Q&A stated and I quote
*A player taking a penalty kick back heels the ball to a team-mate who kicks the ball into the goal. What action does the referee take?
The referee stops play and restarts the match with an indirect free kick to the defending team at the penalty mark. This would be considered to be an infringement of the procedure in Law 14.*
Can we deduce that from the current Laws. Well my answer is that the kicker has not kicked the ball forward which is an infringement of Law 14 and as a goal has not been scored the restart is an IDFK.