A&H

When new laws come into effect

WalterPinkman

Active Member
Hi All,

As I am fairly new to refereeing, this is my first change over of seasons. I have a tournament on the 25th June and was just wondering if I apply the 2015-16 law or whether we start with the new laws. If not when do the new 2016-17 laws come into effect?

Thanks:)
 
The Referee Store
In principle, the new laws came in on 1st June. However, check at the tournament, as every tournament has slightly different interpretation of The Laws. For example, "no indirect free-kicks - everything is direct" is a typical example (so when that keeper drop-kicks the ball he gives away a penalty - ouch).
 
Just finished my last tournament of the season, they do have their own tournament rules but i did use the new one arm advantage rule, so do check ......
 
In principle, the new laws came in on 1st June. However, check at the tournament, as every tournament has slightly different interpretation of The Laws. For example, "no indirect free-kicks - everything is direct" is a typical example (so when that keeper drop-kicks the ball he gives away a penalty - ouch).
Drop-kicking the ball is an offence?
 
Drop-kicking the ball is an offence?

In some tournaments. My Mrs was playing in a 7 aside tournament over the weekend and keepers couldn't do drop kicks, so when they caught the ball they either had to throw it, or roll it out of the area and kick it.
 
Typically U11 and upwards cannot drop-kick. And I was at a tournament a couple of weeks ago where I had to give a penalty (U14's) because the keeper forgot. Fortunately he saved the penalty, but boy did he hold his head in shame the moment he kicked that ball.
 
Typically U11 and upwards cannot drop-kick. And I was at a tournament a couple of weeks ago where I had to give a penalty (U14's) because the keeper forgot. Fortunately he saved the penalty, but boy did he hold his head in shame the moment he kicked that ball.
I understand that such rules can exist in some small-sided tournaments but there's no mention of it being the case here as far as I can tell.
 
In the US, where our season spans the summer, the law change came into effect on June 1. But as people say, check the tournament rules.
 
In the US, where our season spans the summer, the law change came into effect on June 1.
Are you sure? I thought that in countries that have an ongoing season (like the US) they normally delay adopting the new laws until their current season is over.
 
In the US, where our season spans the summer, the law change came into effect on June 1. But as people say, check the tournament rules.

Are you sure? I thought that in countries that have an ongoing season (like the US) they normally delay adopting the new laws until their current season is over.

It varies by state. I believe that there are a couple of states bringing in the Laws already, but most of them are NOT. In short, no matter where you are, talk to your county, district, state, whatever-it-is association to find out when they come into effect.

In Canada, they come into effect in October/November for a couple of provinces (that play through the winter) and in May 2017 for the rest.
 
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Hi
The only concession made by IFAB is that existing competition still running under the "old" laws (that is began before 1/6/16) will continue with the old laws until that competition ends. New competitions beginning after 1st June must use the new laws
 
Hi
The only concession made by IFAB is that existing competition still running under the "old" laws (that is began before 1/6/16) will continue with the old laws until that competition ends. New competitions beginning after 1st June must use the new laws
Well, not quite - the IFAB says that associations whose current season is ongoing may delay implementation of the new laws, not that they will. So they have the choice of introducing the new laws or not. Having said that, I'd be surprised if any major competition would introduce a new set of laws mid-season - imagine the situation if a player were sent off for a DOGSO offence in the penalty area one week and another player got only a yellow for an identical challenge the following week, in the same competition.

Anyway, having checked, I found that as I expected, the MLS will not be adopting the new laws till their next season starts in 2017.
 
Our Nordic season is on now with a month off in July. It would be difficult and expensive to train all the refs for the new laws mid-season.

If there are new futsal laws (?) I am sure we will use those in October but the new big game laws won't come into use until the winter indoor cups start as far as I know.
 
Our Nordic season is on now with a month off in July. It would be difficult and expensive to train all the refs for the new laws mid-season.

If there are new futsal laws (?) I am sure we will use those in October but the new big game laws won't come into use until the winter indoor cups start as far as I know.
But you said you had a backwards kick off already?
 
But you said you had a backwards kick off already?
Oh Peter... the backwards kick off... yes... unfortunately there are a fair few backwards kick offs in the lower leagues and juniors... they just have not been policed well in the past it seems... my quip was because, now that backwards kick offs will be on the telly, it will be even harder to control.

While we are under the old laws still, of course I will stop long back passes from kick offs, but short 50cm back passes from kick offs... it's just not realistic to pull these back now, even after reminding the coaches and captains we are using the legacy laws.
 
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