Verbal Distraction

[Peter Grove]

I think it depends on when you consider the offence took place. If the verbal distraction came before the player kicked the ball, then it's a retake as the ball was not in play. In fact, I would say that logically, verbal distraction at a free kick retake must almost necessarily precede the kick because if it doesn't happen until after the ball was kicked, then how could it have distracted the kicker?

That's the big simplification in the new Laws... physical/contact == DFK, non-physical/contact == IFK

I don't think it's quite that black and white. The FAQ's to Law 12 tell us that:

if an offence [...] involves contact with the opponent it must be penalised with a direct free kick.

However the corollary is not true. Even though an offence does not involve physical contact it can still lead to a direct free kick (e.g. an attempted kick, trip etc).

 

[Ganajin]

I think it depends on when you consider the offence took place. If the verbal distraction came before the player kicked the ball, then it's a retake as the ball was not in play. In fact, I would say that logically, verbal distraction at a free kick retake must almost necessarily precede the kick because if it doesn't happen until after the ball was kicked, then how could it have distracted the kicker?

I don't think it's quite that black and white. The FAQ's to Law 12 tell us that:

However the corollary is not true. Even though an offence does not involve physical contact it can still lead to a direct free kick (e.g. an attempted kick, trip etc).

This is all spot on. Verbal distraction is most likely to affect play if it is before the free kick is taken, and therefore a restart. But I have seen a player running up to tackle while the ball is in play, screaming like a banshee, so it could happen. And remember that you cannot merely award an IFK for verbal distraction: either you consider it worth a yellow card (and therefore an IFK if you had to stop play for the caution), or you do not, and it is play on. (Or you play advantage and give the caution later).

 

[AlexF]

I don't think it's quite that black and white. The FAQ's to Law 12 tell us that:

However the corollary is not true. Even though an offence does not involve physical contact it can still lead to a direct free kick (e.g. an attempted kick, trip etc).

Contact or attempted contact then?