Question Number: 23884

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/7/2010

RE: Competive Adult

Jimmy of Houston, Texas US asks...

In IDFK or DFK in PA, a defender passes the ball to a teammate inside of his own PA. The role says the ball has to leave PA before it can be touched. Is this an UB violation and for which one of players and what is the restart?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The ball is not in play until it leaves the penalty area. The restart is to retake the kick.

It is not unsporting behavior (although ignoring a previous warning or using this as a deliberate tactic to delay the restart play would be misconduct.)

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jimmy
It is not unsporting behaviour and the free kick is simply retaken. If the referee believes that the player that touched the ball from his team mate did so intentionally to delay the restart and say kicked the ball away deliberately then that player could be cautioned for delaying the restart of play. He could also be cautioned if he repeated the restart violation after being told by the referee that it is not allowed.
In general though it is just a retake. Indeed some players do not know that the restriction applies to free kicks inside the PA as well.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Jimmy, the ball is in play on ANY kick from inside the PA once it leaves the area and it is on the field of play. If touched before it leaves the PA it is a retake, that's all. If there are other shenanigans going on like time wasting, the ref deals with it but the restart is always the same as it was before it was touched twice in the PA.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You are correct that the ball must leave he penalty area before it is in play and if touched before it leaves, then the kick is retaken. Unless the behavior is repeated, there is no need for a caution