Dropped-ball

{{Short description|Method of restarting play in association football}} {{other uses|Drop ball (disambiguation)}} {{EngvarB|date=May 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} [[File:Manuel Schüttengruber, Fußballschiedsrichter (08).jpg|thumb|Dropped-ball in football (prior to 2019)]] A '''dropped-ball''' (or '''drop-ball''') is a method of restarting play in a game of [[association football]]. It is used when play has been stopped due to reasons other than normal gameplay, fouls, or misconduct. The situations requiring a dropped-ball restart are outlined in [[The start and restart of play|Law 8]] and [[Ball in and out of play|Law 9]] of the [[Laws of the Game (association football)|Laws of the Game]]; Law 8 also contains the dropped-ball procedure.<ref name="changes_2019"/>

== Award == A dropped ball is used to restart play when the [[referee (association football)|referee]] has stopped play, and the laws do not specify a different method of restarting the match; a [[Dropped-ball#Situations in which the dropped ball is used|full list]] is given below.

In games which use [[video assistant referee]]s (VAR), if a VAR review determines that play should not have been stopped, such as when a decision to award a penalty is reversed, play is restarted with a dropped ball at the point of the incorrect call.<ref name="var">{{cite web |last1=Floyd |first1=Thomas |title=How does VAR work? A guide to video review in MLS |url=http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/how-does-var-work-a-comprehensive-guide-to-video-review-in/4w4m0twmpg3j11tmx1waaehdz |publisher=Goal |accessdate=28 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

==Procedure== [[File:Howard Webb4.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Howard Webb]] performing a dropped-ball in a [[Premier League]] match in 2007]]

Following changes to the Laws of the Game effective from June 2019, the dropped ball is explicitly awarded to a specific player:<ref name="changes_2019"/>

* the goalkeeper of the defending team, if the ball was in the penalty area when play was stopped, or the ball was last touched in the penalty area * a player of the team that last touched the ball, in all other cases.

The ball is dropped by the referee at the point where the ball was last touched by a player, official, or outside agent, unless this is within the penalty area (or the ball was in the penalty area when play was stopped), in which case the ball is dropped within the penalty area.<ref name="changes_2019"/> All players of either side, other than the designated player, must be {{convert|4|m|yd}} away from the ball until it touches the ground.<ref name="changes_2019"/>

The ball becomes in play as soon as it touches the ground. No player may touch the ball until it has touched the ground. If the ball leaves the [[football pitch|field of play]] before it has been touched by a player (including if the ball enters either goal), the drop-ball is retaken.<ref name=rule8> {{cite web | title = Law 8 – The start and restart of play | url = https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/technicalsupport/refereeing/laws-of-the-game/law/newsid=1290853.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121008174656/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/technicalsupport/refereeing/laws-of-the-game/law/newsid=1290853.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 8 October 2012 | accessdate = 2014-02-04 | publisher = [[FIFA]] }} </ref>

==Infringements== If a player touches the ball before it touches the ground, the drop-ball is retaken.<ref name="rule8" /> If a player persistently touches the ball before it touches the ground, and the referee believes that the player is deliberately doing so, this may be considered [[misconduct (association football)|misconduct]] and the referee may caution the player with a yellow card for delaying the restart of play.

A goal may not be scored from a dropped ball until it has been touched by two different players. If the ball enters either goal without having been touched by two players, the result is a goal-kick or corner-kick.<ref name="changes_2019"/> A dropped ball is the only restart which allows the first player who touches the ball to touch it a second time without penalty.<ref>http://www.thefa.com/football-rules.../lawsandrules/laws/.../law-8---the-start-and-restart-of-play {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref>

==Situations in which the dropped ball is used==

The following are the situations in which the 2020 Laws of the Game specify that play should be restarted with a dropped ball: * the crossbar becomes displaced or broken<ref name="ifab2020">{{cite book |author=International Football Association Board |location=Zurich |publisher=International Football Association Board |url=https://static-3eb8.kxcdn.com/files/document-category/032021/LOTG_20-21_page_en.pdf |title=Laws of the Game 2020/21}}</ref>{{Rp|40}} * the ball becomes defective<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|46}} * an outside agent enters the field of play<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|53}} * a player suffers a serious injury, unless the injury was caused by an offence<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|67}} * a spectator blows a whistle which interferes with play<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|67}} * an extra ball, other object or animal enters the field of play and interferes with play<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|68}} * the referee signals a goal before the ball has passed wholly over the goal line<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|93}} * a player commits a physical offence inside the field of play against any person other than a player, team official or match official<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|114–115}} * after a penalty kick has been taken, the ball rebounds into the field of play from the goalkeeper, crossbar or goalposts and is then touched by an outside agent<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|125–126}} * the ball touches a match official, remains on the field of play, and one of the following occurs:<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|91}} ** a team starts a promising attack ** the ball goes directly into the goal ** the team in possession of the ball changes * the referee stops play for any other reason for which the Laws do not define the method of restart<ref name="ifab2020" />{{Rp|87}}

==History==

In 1888, a new law was added to the [[Laws of the Game (association football)|rules of association football]] allowing the referee to restart the game after a temporary suspension of play by "throwing up the ball at the spot where play was suspended". The ball could not be played until it had touched the ground.<ref>{{cite wikisource |title=Laws of the Game (1888) |quote=In the event of any temporary suspension of play from any cause, the ball not having gone into touch, or behind the goal-line, the game shall be re-started by the referee throwing up the ball at the spot where play was suspended, and the players on either side shall not play the ball until it has touched the ground.}}</ref> In 1905, the referee was instructed to "throw the ball down" rather than up,<ref>{{cite wikisource |title=Laws of the Game (1905) |quote=In the event of any temporary suspension of play from any cause, the ball not having gone into touch or behind the goal-line, the Referee shall throw the ball down where it was when play was suspended, and it shall be in play when it has touched the ground. If the ball goes into touch or behind the goal-line before it is played by a player, the Referee shall again throw it down. The players on either side shall not play the ball until it has touched the ground. }}</ref> and in 1914, to "drop the ball".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ssbra.org/ifab/assets/pdf/1914min.pdf |title=International Football Association Board: 1914 Minutes of the Annual General Meeting |accessdate=2018-10-16 |page=2}}</ref>

In 1984, a special case was added for a dropped ball within the [[goal area]]; instead of being dropped at the point where play was suspended, the ball would be dropped at the closest point on the six-yard line. This change was made in order to avoid "crowding" and "jostling".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ssbra.org/ifab/assets/pdf/1984min.pdf |title=International Football Association Board: 1984 Minutes of the Annual General Meeting |accessdate=2018-10-16 |page=4}}</ref>

===Scoring from a dropped ball===

In 2012, scoring a goal directly from a dropped ball was forbidden (if the dropped ball was kicked directly into the goal, a goal-kick or corner-kick was awarded instead). The justification given by the [[Football Association]] for this change was that "[t]here have been a number of occasions where goals have been scored from 'uncontested' dropped balls ... We then have the unseemly situation where the opposition allows the team to score from the kick-off without any players trying to stop them in order to rebalance the game."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ssbra.org/ifab/assets/pdf/2012amen.pdf |title=FIFA Circular no. 1302: Amendments to the laws of the Game – 2012/2013 |accessdate=2018-10-16 |page=3}}</ref> In 2016, it was further required that the ball must touch two players before going into the goal; if it does not do so, the goal is disallowed and play is restarted with a goal-kick or corner-kick.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://static-3eb8.kxcdn.com/documents/60/Laws%20of%20the%20Game_16-17_Digital_Eng.pdf |title=Laws of the Game 2016/17 |page=66 |access-date=2021-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911032912/http://static-3eb8.kxcdn.com/documents/60/Laws%20of%20the%20Game_16-17_Digital_Eng.pdf |archive-date=2016-09-11 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Remedy for infringement===

In 1891, an infringement of the laws at a dropped ball (for example, playing the ball before it touched the ground) was punished with an [[indirect free kick]] to the opposition.<ref>{{cite wikisource |title=Laws of the Game (1891) |quote= In the event of any infringement of rules 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, '''or 16''', a free kick shall be forfeited to the opposite side, from the spot where the infringement took place [emphasis added]}}</ref> This penalty was removed in 1937,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ssbra.org/ifab/assets/pdf/1937min.pdf |title=International Football Association Board: 1937 Minutes of the Annual General Meeting |accessdate=2019-12-26 |page=6}}</ref> and replaced with a retake.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ssbra.org/ifab/assets/pdf/1937agen.pdf |title=International Football Association Board: 1937 Agenda of the Annual General Meeting |accessdate=2019-12-26 |page=5 |quote=The Committee agreed that if an infringement of Law 16 [the dropped ball] is committed the referee should again drop the ball}}</ref>

===Abolition of contested dropped ball=== In 2019, the contested dropped ball was abolished.<ref name="changes_2019" /> The dropped ball still took place, but was awarded to:

All other players, of both teams, were required to be at least 4 metres from the ball until it touched the ground.<ref name="changes_2019"/>

Before 2019, any number of players from either side were allowed to contest a dropped ball. However, this rarely occurred, as many players sportingly elected to kick the ball out of play when an event requiring the stoppage of play – most often an injury – occurred. Contested drop balls became exceedingly rare in the modern game.<ref name=":0" /> After the situation had been resolved, the opposing team typically, but not always, conceded possession to the other team after returning the ball into play via the [[throw-in]], as a gesture of good [[sportsmanship]]. When the referee did stop play and a dropped ball occurred, a similar return of possession was almost always made from the restart, with the ball being kicked back to the original possessors' defence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/sport-opinion/middle-you-last-see-contested-6192970|title=From the middle: When did you last see a contested drop ball after a stoppage for injury?|last=Sawdon-Smith|first=Dick|date=2013-10-16|work=getreading|access-date=2018-06-28}}</ref>

The official justification given for this change was that "[t]he [previous] dropped ball procedure often leads to a 'manufactured' restart which is 'exploited' unfairly (e.g. kicking the ball out for a throw-in deep in the opponents' half) or an aggressive confrontation. Returning the ball to the team that last played it (had possession) restores what was 'lost' when play was stopped, except in the penalty area where it is simpler to return the ball to the goalkeeper. To prevent that team gaining an unfair advantage, all players of both teams, except the player receiving the ball, must be at least 4 m (4.5 yds) away."<ref name="changes_2019">{{cite book |author=International Football Association Board |location=Zurich |publisher=International Football Association Board |url=http://static-3eb8.kxcdn.com/documents/793/103202_200519_LotG_201920_EN_SinglePage.pdf |title=Laws of the Game 2019/20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603034707/http://static-3eb8.kxcdn.com/documents/793/103202_200519_LotG_201920_EN_SinglePage.pdf |archive-date=3 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Rp|161}}

The 2019 rule change also provided for a dropped ball restart for certain situations involving the ball touching a match official.<ref name="changes_2019" /> Previously, the match officials were considered part of the field and play continued if the ball touched an official regardless of the result, unless the ball went out of play for a different reason such as going off the field. The rule change allows the referee to stop play and award a dropped ball if either team gains an advantage from the ball touching an official. The official explanation for this change was that "[i]t can be very unfair if a team gains an advantage or scores a goal because the ball has hit a match official, especially the referee".<ref name="changes_2019"/>{{Rp|161}}

===Summary===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 85%; width: auto; table-layout: fixed;" |-

! rowspan="2" | Date

! rowspan="2" | Location of restart

! colspan="2" | Receiving player

! rowspan="2" | Minimum distance of other players

! rowspan="2" | Manner of dropping

! colspan="2" | The first player to touch the ball scores

! rowspan="2" | Remedy for infringement

|- !Inside the penalty area !Outside the penalty area !A goal !An own goal |-

! 1888

| rowspan="5" |Last location of the ball in play

| colspan="3" rowspan="7" |None (any player may contest the ball)

| rowspan="2" | Throw the ball up

| colspan="2" rowspan="6" | Goal awarded

| rowspan="1" | None specified

! 1891

| rowspan=3 | Indirect free kick

! 1905

| rowspan=1 | Throw the ball down

! 1914

| rowspan="6" | Drop the ball

! 1937

| rowspan="5" | Retake

! 1984

| rowspan=2 | Same as above, if outside the goal area; otherwise, the nearest point on the six-yard line

! 2012

| rowspan="3" | Goal kick

| rowspan="3" | Corner kick

! 2019

| Penalty area in which the stoppage or the last touch occurred; otherwise, the location of the last touch

| rowspan="2" | Goalkeeper of the defending team |Player of the team that touched the ball last | rowspan="2" | {{convert|4|m|yd}} |- !2025 |Penalty area in which the stoppage occurred; otherwise, the last location of the ball in play |Same as above, if the team in possession can't be determined; otherwise, the player of the team in possession |}

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Laws of association football]]