Rules 101 Content presented in partnership with The FA Learning AA

LAWS OF THE GAME - CONTINUED

This month we continue to examine the 17 fundamental laws of the game that form the foundation of all refereeing. We will look at laws 9 through12.

LAW 9 – Ball In and Out of Play
One of the principle roles of the referee is to indicate when the ball is in or out of play. This is important because offences committed whilst the ball is out of play are punished differently.

According to the Law, the ball is out of play when ‘it has wholly crossed the goal line or to touch line whether on the ground or in the air’ or when ‘play has been stopped by the referee’. The ball remains in play when it rebounds from a goalpost, crossbar, or corner flag post and remains in the field of play or when it rebounds from either the referee or an assistant referee when he is on the field of play.

LAW 10 – The Method of Scoring
Although it may seem obvious to anyone with the faintest knowledge of football, it is nevertheless important to know what ‘officially’ constitutes a goal scored. According to the Laws of the Game, a goal is scored when ‘the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar’ (this is dependent upon there having been no infringement of the Laws prior to scoring the goal). The whole purpose of Association Football is to score goals. This is how a game is decided. If the game is a draw at the end of the match, some competitions have rules to ensure that a decision is reached through extra time or by kicks from the penalty mark.

LAW 11 – Offside
Knowing this Law is often used to measure people’s football knowledge. If you can explain this one then you’re well on the way to becoming an expert!

According to the Law, a player is offside when ‘he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.’ On the other hand, a player is not offside if he is ‘in his own half of the field of play’ or ‘he is level with the second last opponent’ or he ‘is level with the last two opponents’.

It must be remembered that it is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position and a player should not be penalized if the ball is received directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner kick. However, it becomes an offence if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, the player is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in the active play by ‘interfering with an opponent’ or ‘interfering with play’ or ‘gaining an advantage by being in that position’.

The penalty for an offside offense is easy to remember: the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.

LAW 12 – Fouls and Misconduct
A referee’s job is to ensure that each team can play the game safely and fairly. It is for this reason that the referee must be on the lookout for fouls or instances of misconduct and penalize them accordingly.

Below is a list of the cautionable (yellow card) offences:
· Unsporting behavior
· Showing dissent by word or action
· Persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game
· Delaying the restart of play
· Failing to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick or free kick
· Entering or re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission
· Deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission

The following list details the sending-off (red card) offences:
· Serious foul play
· Violent conduct
· Spitting at an opponent or any other person
· Denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
· Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick
· Offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
· Receiving a second caution in the same match

Other than showing the yellow and red cards there are other, often crucial, sanctions that must be awarded to the opposition in the instance of misconduct. These are the direct free kick, the penalty kick and the indirect free kick. The ten offences that are punished by direct free kicks or penalty kicks are as follows:
· Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
· Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent
· Jumping at an opponent
· Charging at an opponent
· Striking or attempting to strike an opponent
· Pushing an opponent

A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player:
· Tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball
· Holds an opponent
· Spits at an opponent
· Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)

A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above ten offences are committed by a player inside his own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play.

An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper inside his own penalty are, commits any of the following four offences:
· Takes more than six seconds while controlling the ball with his hands before releasing it from his possession
· Touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player
· Touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate
· Touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate

An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player in the opinion of the referee:
· Plays in a dangerous manner
· Impedes the progress of an opponent
· Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands
· Commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player

In managing players it is important to decide where to start on the staircase of punishments. It is up to the referee to decide on the seriousness of the offence and the attitude of the player to discipline. On some occasions the strong whistle, a quiet word of warning or a more public rebuke will be sufficient. On other occasions the referee will be aware that anything short of a caution will be inappropriate or seen as a sign of weakness.

Click Here to learn more about the great resources from The FA Learning