The Ref Stop

Throw In

CapeTownRef

CapeTownRef

Member
I saw this at a game last weekend. A player taking a throw-in crouches down and throws the ball to a teammate's feet. The thrower's feet are on or behind the touchline (his feet the only part of his body touching the ground), and the ball is released legally from the thrower's hands. Is this a foul throw? The referee called it a foul throw.
 
The Ref Stop
So all he’s done differently from a regular throw is to crouch down while throwing it?

The laws do state “stand facing the field of play”
but I don’t think this is deliberate to prevent someone crouching down!
 
Will_A said:
So all he’s done differently from a regular throw is to crouch down while throwing it?

The laws do state “stand facing the field of play”
but I don’t think this is deliberate to prevent someone crouching down!
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I disagree. 😊
Crouching is not standing and therefore my opinion is as described this is foul throw.
 
Law 15 states att the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower must:
  • stand facing the field of play
  • have part of each foot on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline
  • throw the ball with both hands from behind and over the head from the point where it left the field of play
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It doesn't say anything about crouching. I would allow it as I cannot see any definitive infringement
 
Am sure others can come up with more high-profile examples, but this one (
) sticks in my mind as I remember seeing him do it live at least a couple of times (I'm pretty sure I was at the away game in the clip too [recorded by the news purely for the throw-in, I suspect]).

As far as I can recall, advertising boards all round the home ground made it tricky in some places, but when he could back up the 'tunnel*' (which was/is level with the penalty area rather than near the half-way line) he got a fair distance (televised example wasn't his best & given the weather / surface he probably wouldn't have done it on that day if they hadn't been there just to catch it).

From memory it was a fairly short-lived novelty, but it sticks in my mind because as a youngster watching Stafford Rangers at the time [not a youngster any more, but still occasionally watch (cup final tomorrow!)] it was great entertainment - with the home fans packed in behind the goal towards which he was firing the ball. I think one or two goals resulted from these throw-ins too (at least one was disallowed according to the clip, but my memory is trying to convince me that at least one stood [and it doesn't want to be corrected!]). I guess it was a nice bit of publicity for the club as well.

Apologies for the reminiscing, but back on topic(ish): How are we calling this throw (then, and now)?

*I may be imagining it, but I think the ground-staff may even have had to open the tunnel for him to do it (it was usually closed off during the game by a gate, which then allowed fans to walk fully around the ground [no segregation then (or now) for most games]).
 
The law states "stand facing the field of play" which could imply standing still. One can then interpret this to mean that the thrower cannot take a run up before throwing the ball into play as the entire action is moving forward not standing still. I think this is more about what the law doesn't state than what it does state. As far as I am concerned, as long as the thrower's feet are positioned correctly at the moment the ball is released, and the ball is released from behind and over the thrower's head then, whether he is crouching or standing, I would not blow for a foul throw.
 
A - Crouching is not standing
b - It would be a surprise to allow it, more so if 3 secs later we have a goal

foul throw.
 
Don't think I'd allow it but have seen the somersault/flip throw referenced above allowed even at international level which is released from a crouching position.
 
CapeTownRef said:
The law states "stand facing the field of play" which could imply standing still. One can then interpret this to mean that the thrower cannot take a run up before throwing the ball into play as the entire action is moving forward not standing still. I think this is more about what the law doesn't state than what it does state. As far as I am concerned, as long as the thrower's feet are positioned correctly at the moment the ball is released, and the ball is released from behind and over the thrower's head then, whether he is crouching or standing, I would not blow for a foul throw.
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The law does not imply "standing still" - it requires the thrower to have a "standing" posture.
 
CapeTownRef said:
The law states "stand facing the field of play" which could imply standing still. One can then interpret this to mean that the thrower cannot take a run up before throwing the ball into play as the entire action is moving forward not standing still. I think this is more about what the law doesn't state than what it does state. As far as I am concerned, as long as the thrower's feet are positioned correctly at the moment the ball is released, and the ball is released from behind and over the thrower's head then, whether he is crouching or standing, I would not blow for a foul throw.
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The law doesn't say anything about where the ball should be released.
"...throw the ball with both hands from behind and over the head from the point where it left the field of play"
However.... it does say....
"The ball is in play when it enters the field of play"
One could argue that if the players feet are on the line and the ball is released in front of the head, the ball has already entered the field of play. This would make it a handball though....
Anyone want to call a handball from a throw in and report back ;)
 
Will_A said:
Where does it state “standing posture”?
Surely what the law implies is subjective?
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This is where the problem lies. Some say a foul throw, others would not. If the law forbids a handspring run up and crouching to throw, then surely it would state this? When someone says "he is standing over there", it implies he is standing still. You wouldn't say "the guy with the upright posture over there". As is often the case, the way the law is written is ambiguous and, therefore, open to interpretation. It is quite interesting to have so many different opinions.
 
“stand” is also defined as maintaining an upright position supported by one’s feet.

You can maintain an upright position with bent legs.
 
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