Referee ball
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A referee ball is an activity of a referee who brings the ball back into play after stoppages in play for which the rules do not provide for any other continuation of play. The execution can be done by high ball (like in basketball ) or dropping (like in soccer ).
Soccer
Rules up to and including the 2018/2019 season
A referee ball is given if a football game is interrupted by the referee and the ball is inside the field of play, but there is no violation of the football rules , the referee has made a mistake or if a player commits an offense outside the field of play . The referee drops the ball from chest level with an outstretched hand at the place where the ball was when play was stopped. If the ball was inside the goal area at the time of the interruption , the referee's ball is returned to the point on the goal-area line which is closest.
The ball is back in play as soon as it hits the ground without being touched by a player. If the ball is played by a player before he hits the ground, the referee ball must be repeated. Any number of players can take part in a referee's ball; the distance to the ball is not mandatory. Often only one player from the team that was not in possession of the ball at the time of the interruption starts and plays the ball back to the opponent in the spirit of fair play .
Since June 2012, a goal from a referee's ball may no longer be scored directly; the ball must have been touched at least twice for a goal to be valid. The second contact was allowed to be by the same player until the summer of 2016, since then the ball must have been touched by another player in order for a goal to be scored. If the ball goes directly into a goal without touching it again, a goal kick (goal) or corner kick (own goal) is decided.
Some examples of situations that lead to a referee ball:
- An injury to a player without a previous foul play , provided that the referee considers the player to be seriously injured and has stopped the game as a result
- Items such as B. prohibited pyrotechnics on the field
- The ball becomes unusable (e.g. it bursts)
- The referee recognizes his own error
- A second ball is on the field and influences the game
- Weather conditions or other circumstances make it necessary to interrupt the game
- The lawn irrigation system is activated during the game
- A dog runs onto the field and chases the ball
- Third parties who are not officials enter the field of play without permission
- The ball hits the video cube or another object above the playing field (e.g. branch of a tree)
Rules from the 2019/2020 season
With the rule changes for the 2019/2020 season, the referee ball was completely changed. If it was previously a “neutral” continuation of the game, the referee's ball must now be executed in favor of one team. The possible reasons for resuming play with a referee's ball remain unchanged, but an important case has been added: If the ball is deflected by contact with the referee in such a way that the opponent gains possession of the ball or this leads to a promising attack, is future to stop the game and restart it with a ball.
Another new feature is that the referee's ball is “for” the team that last had the ball.
The execution of the referee's ball is now clearly regulated:
- Exactly one player is allowed to take part in the referee's ball, in his own penalty area this must be the goalkeeper.
- All other players must be at least four meters from the ball.
- The ball is in play as soon as it hits the ground (unchanged).
- A goal may only be scored from a referee's ball when at least two players have touched the ball (unchanged).
In contrast to the free kick, however, the ball may be touched several times by the "executing" player.
Handball
Until the rule changes on August 1, 2001, there was also a referee's ball in handball, which was correctly called high ball . For example, if the cue ball touched the ceiling of the hall or if the referees could not tell which player was on the ball first when two players were fighting over the ball, the game was interrupted and one of the referees took the ball at the throw-off point.
Since the rule change, the referees have had to decide on a throw-in for the team that did not last touch the ball in the event that the playing equipment touches the hall ceiling in an area that is within an imaginary vertical extension of the playing area. In the event of a scramble for the ball, the referees must now decide which player got on the ball first. This player is then awarded the free throw.
In beach handball , both halves of the game start with a ball from a referee.
