20 Aug 2010

Do you know the laws of the game of football ?

How many of us really know the rules of the game of football. Just for fun, we have put together a series of questions that any basic referee should know the answer to, do you?

Question

If a defending player takes a direct free cake from outside his penalty area and kicks the ball past his own goalkeeper into the goal what would be the correct decision?

Answer

The referee would award corner kick to the attacking team because a goal can only be scored against the offending team from a direct free kick

Question

How do players and spectators know if the free kick is direct or indirect?

Answer

When the referee awards an indirect free kick his signals it by raising his arm. No such signal is given in the case of a direct free kick

From an indirect free kick if the ball goes directly into the opponents goal a goal kick is awarded to the defending team

Question

A free kick is given. May the defending players stand less than 10 yards from the ball?

Answer

Only when an indirect free kick is to be taken from a position less than 10 yards from the goal. Defenders may then stand on the goal line between the posts

Question

From an indirect free kick the ball strikes the cross bar, hits the goalkeeper and bounces over the goal line would this be a goal?

Answer

Yes because the ball was last played by a player other than the kicker before entering the goal