Question Number: 35740

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/6/2024

RE: Rec Adult

Steve of Stockport, Greater Manchester England asks...

At 45:47 Maddison takes 4 seconds to position the ball for a free kick, at 45:54 the referee blows the whistle to take the free kick. 45:56 re-positions the ball, why is this not handball ?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Steve,

A handball offence can only occur when the ball is in play, and the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves.

Even though the whistle has gone to restart play, nothing changes the restart. That player could punch an opponent, and his team would still have the same free kick (though he'd be sent off, of course).

Sometimes this sort of late repositioning is a tactic to delay the restart of the game and the ref can caution (yellow card) if that's the case, but it doesn't change the restart.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steve

As the ball is not in play it cannot be handling. A whistle is only a signal to start play. Play starts when the ball is kicked and moved.

So no possible offence here. It can be misconduct for delaying the restart of play which is a caution. The restart does NOT change. It is still a restart for the same team.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Steve,
my colleagues explain it clearly .
The ball is NOT in play until it is kicked and moved.
The whistle is the signal given by the referee to get play underway! Mind you if delayed sufficiently and a referee felt it was a USB ploy to use up time, a caution for delaying the restart is plausible. .
To this point though, I personally like it if players use their hands to place the ball rather than roll it about with the sole of foot which actually CAN be misleading!
Cheers