Question Number: 23679

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/16/2010

RE: rec Under 13

Marissa Mallicoat of Sacramento, California USA asks...

When is it correct to give an indirect/direct kick?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Marissa
Fouls are divided up into two categories, that is the 10 penal fouls and technical fouls. Penal fouls are committed against opponents including deliberate handling of the ball and technical fouls are not the direct result of foul play, but are violations of one of soccer's procedural Laws, which are generally designed to keep play flowing or prevent penal fouls from happening.
The restart on a penal foul is a direct free kick from which a goal can be scored directly and the restart for technical fouls is an indirect free kick from which a goal cannot be scored directly. Examples of the technical fouls are a player touching the ball twice at a restart, playing in a dangerous manner, preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball, goalkeeper handling the ball when it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team mate, impeding the progress of an opponent, striking a team mate, official, referee, leaving/entering the field of play with out permission etc.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

If, in the opinion of the referee, the offense committed is, and I quote from the Laws of the Game, Law 12, any of the following ten infractions results in a direct free kick or penalty kick if it occurs in the penalty area:
• kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
• trips or attempts to trip an opponent
• jumps at an opponent
• charges an opponent
• strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
• pushes an opponent
• tackles an opponent
holds an opponent
• spits at an opponent
• handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)

Anything else is an indirect free kick.