Yes, Virginia, there is a Law 15 !

 

Despite a lot of evidence to the contrary, there is still a Law 15, and there is also a requirement that referees enforce it.  I have referred a couple of times to the fact that many referees--not beginners, mind you--are making no attempt to ensure that yards are not stolen when the ball is returned to play.  And stolen yards are not necessarily a trivial issue.  A quickly-taken throw from the wrong place can easily start a surprise attack going; a throw taken well off the field will enter it where defenders least expect it, and when they are not expecting it.  Time and space are the essence of soccer, and when a player cheats to gain or lose one or the other, the laws require that he be penalised.
    With these thoughts in mind, and putting my scientist's hat on, I decided to measure the accuracy and timing of throws-in, in a major game played recently.  With my referee's eyes open, a notepad in hand, a comfortable chair, and a stool upon which to rest my ailing knee (there's a replacement on the way), I relaxed in front of the telly to record the number and type of infractions committed at throws by players, yet unpunished by the referee.
    I had never watched a complete game under the direction of this particular referee, but I knew of his reputation (enhanced under the program being directed by Brian Hall) as a tough guy, willing to make (now) the decisions he is supposed to make for the good of the game.  So I was optimistic that he would be able to spot infringements of Law 15, pick out the ones that had an effect, and punish them accordingly.
    You are free at this moment to guess what happened, since anyone over the age of two knows that life is full of disappointments . . .

    Within a few minutes of the kick-off, I spotted several throws taken from the wrong place (usually advancing the ball, of course, which might give you a clue as to the player's intent), and I noticed, too, that the referee made no attempt to correct or prevent the player's theft.  Ah, well, that's been the norm in matches I've watched recently, and to be fair to the referee, I don't think he saw the infractions, and I'm guessing that he has never been taught the techniques.
    [I have to add that this game was being played in a stadium, and the field was surrounded by an array of large advertisements, which make the accurate location of a throw a simple matter.]
    After about fifteen minutes I gave up my task of data-gathering, perhaps believing that no one else cared about this esoteric stuff and mindful of a number of referees who have said to me "I have more important things to worry about than the location of a throw-in".  I then let my mind wander to all the referees I have known who managed to take care of the kicking and who were able to make sure that all the others laws were protected, not abandoned.
    Pretty soon I recalled a story Ed told me recently, about being confronted by a coach who complained that Ed had been too fussy about certain things that other (I have to add "lesser") referees ignored.  Ed, ever the wisecracker, suggested that the next time he refereed this particular team, he would bring a list of the laws, and before the game ask the coach to strike off the ones he did not wish the referee to take into account.
    But, though life is full of disappointments, Hope does spring eternal, and towards the end of the game, with fewer than fifteen minutes to go, Hope sprang up to make me believe that all is not lost.  The referee called a foul throw, not for the wrong location, but because the player threw the ball in a downward trajectory.  I cheered and jeered in one soundless response to this meaningless enforcement.
    I ask you: What was the bloody point?  I concluded, Virginia, that it was to reassure me that in this match there was indeed a law 15, if only for a second or two towards the end.

Comments

[b rizzo]

for years i was part of the - get the ball back into play - school of thought on throwins. only call what makes a difference; gives an unfair advantage to the throwing team. the problem was, in making the judgement on what did provide an unfair advantage, i was being too easy on the thrower. after following your presentations on this topic i have tightened up. in my last games, after a few instances of making them do it from near the correct spot, they ask for help or actually go to the correct spot without my involvement. works for youth and adult games alike.

i like it. thanks.

[CSR]

Something else I think is important to point out is that identifying the correct spot for a throw-in is not just the responsibility of the referee. The Assistant Referees can, and should, play a large role here. The CR has many things to manage and may not always see where the ball went into touch. The AR's duties generally put him in a position to see this. And when the throw is in his quadrant, the AR's proximity to the thrower allows him to guide the thrower accordingly - whether providing a spot, giving a warning that the thrower needs to throw from the spot, or indicating a foul throw.
Referees can make this part of his pre-game with the ARs (and 4th). But let's not single out the referee here. . .refereeing is a team effort!

[Richard Marnhout]

Well shucks, I took your advice on throw-ins and it WORKS!
Now, let me ask you, what about some of the other laws which are rarely enforced, such as jerseys tucked in and goalkeepers releasing the ball within the penalty area before punting?
In high school soccer the rule for shirts remaining tucked in is enforced (don't ask me why)but I rarely if ever see a goalkeeper penalised for releasing the ball over the penalty area line.
If referees are to enforce "seemingly" minor things like throw-ins, what about the rest of the laws?

thanks for your time,

Richard M.

[Richard Marnhout]

Well shucks, I took your advice on throw-ins and it WORKS!
Now, let me ask you, what about some of the other laws which are rarely enforced, such as jerseys tucked in and goalkeepers releasing the ball within the penalty area before punting?
In high school soccer the rule for shirts remaining tucked in is enforced (don't ask me why)but I rarely if ever see a goalkeeper penalised for releasing the ball over the penalty area line.
If referees are to enforce "seemingly" minor things like throw-ins, what about the rest of the laws?

thanks for your time,

Richard M.