- Is the ball out of play if any part of the ball
overlaps either the goal-line
or the touch line?
No, the whole of the ball must cross the line.
- A player asks to leave the field and, as he's
walking off, the ball comes towards
him and he shoots a goal. What action should the referee take?
The player shall be cautioned. The game shall be restarted by an indirect
free-kick, taken by a player of the opposing team, from the place where the
infringement occurred, subject to the overriding conditions of Law XIII.
- A spectator blows a whistle and the goalkeeper,
thinking it was the referee,
passes the ball to a team-mate, who picks up the ball and places it on the ground,
assuming that a free-kick has been awarded. Should the referee award a direct
free-kick (or penalty) for handling the ball or should he stop the game because of
the spectator's intervention and resume play by dropping the ball?
Because the whistle came from off the field and not from the referee,
a direct free-kick (or a penalty) shall be awarded to the opposing team for
handling the ball.
- The ball leaves the field, passing over the
touch-line after having been played
by a
player in team A. The linesman signals a throw-in but the referee does not see his
signal. During the next few minutes free-kicks and corner-kicks are taken. The
referee then notices the linesman with his flag still raised. What decision should
the referee take?
It is impossible to act on the linesman's signal after so much play.
- The referee is about to drop the ball. He invites
the players from both teams to
take part. One of the teams refuses. What should the referee do?
The referee shall resume play by dropping the ball.
- The referee awards a dropped ball close to the
touch-line. When dropped, the
ball
bounces across the touch-line without having been played. The Law stipulates
that the ball must be dropped again but does not indicate from which place.
Should the ball be dropped at the same place as before or from the point where it
left the field?
The ball must be dropped at the same place as before.
- The ball accidentally hits the referee or a
linesman on the field of play and
rebounds into goal. What should the referee's decision be?
The referee shall award the goal.
- May a goalkeeper join other players at a
dropped ball situation?
Yes, the goalkeeper is a player just like the other players.