Question Number: 33293

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 4/30/2019

RE: youth Competitive Under 19

Giancarlo mancini of Millstone Township, New Jersey USA asks...

If a ball is out of play for a throw in and a foul is committed, is the correct call a free kick or throw in.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Giancarlo,
The correct decision is a throw in. The first line of law 12 makes this quite clear in the following words:

''Direct and indirect free kicks and penalty kicks can only be awarded for offences committed when the ball is in play.''

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Giancarlo,
If the ball is OUT of play then ANY action under taken by the players is ONLY a form of MISCONDUCT as VC 'Violent Conduct' or USB 'Unsporting behavior' This is because no foul can occur, if the ball can NOT be legally challenged for possession.

There is a very slight chance one might consider the foul trifling or doubtful or even careless but not worthy of a card because perhaps this contact occurs just as the ball is headed out so the timing is a bit off. Yet if play is stopped, the throw in a done deal and THEN we get unnecessary contact, even if minor, it is likely to get more than a stern word as the reckless USB aspect is at minimum in play with a very real possibility of a red card for VC or excessive force. No matter what the restart REMAINS the throw in .
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Giancarlo
An offence can only be committed while the ball is in play. If it is out of play it is misconduct which can still be sanctioned by a card yet the restart does not change.
In your example if the ball is out of play for a throw in then any misconduct after that does not change the restart. It is still a throw in.
If the offence happens before the ball went out of play then the restart is the reason for the offence which will be a free kick or a penalty kick.