Laws of the Game

12.0 Free Kicks

 

 

 

  
 

 

  

 

 
 
12.1 The spirit of the laws relating to free kicks is:
12.1.1 The player who makes the ball his sole objective shall be given every opportunity to gain possession of the ball.
12.1.2 The player who has possession of the ball and is held by an opponent shall be given a reasonable time to kick or handball the ball.
12.1.3 The ball shall be kept in motion. The field umpire shall call "Play On" even though a free kick should have been awarded but by doing so would penalise the team offended against.
   
12.2 All breaches of the laws shall be penalised whether the ball is dead or in play. The field umpire shall sound his whistle for the awarding of a free kick. Unless otherwise specified, the player nearest to the opponent who commits a breach of the Laws shall receive a free kick.
12.2.1

If the field umpire has sounded his whistle for a free kick, he may cancel such a free kick by calling "Play On" if the side offended against will be penalised by enforcing the free kick.

Should the field umpire cancel a free kick he may reverse the decision if it is obvious that it is not to the advantage of the team concerned.
12.2.2 A player awarded a free kick must go back to the spot where the breach occurred before being allowed to kick or play the ball. If such player kicks or plays the ball without complying with this law, the field umpire shall stop play and enforce compliance.
12.2.3 A free kick shall be awarded against a player who throws or hands the ball to another player, or to the advantage of play, while the ball is in play.
12.2.4 When a player who has taken a mark or been awarded a free kick is, in the opinion of the field umpire, unable to dispose of the ball through accident or the deliberate action of an opponent, the field umpire shall award a free kick to the nearest player of the same team at the time the incident occurred.

The kick shall be taken at the spot nearest to where the incident occurred.
12.2.5 If a player has been awarded a free kick or a mark, and before the kick is taken a further breach of the laws is made by a player on the same side as the first offender, the field umpire shall sound his whistle and direct the free kick to be taken by a teammate at the spot where the subsequent breach took place, if doing so will penalise the offending team. Where a subsequent breach is committed by a teammate of the player taking the kick, a free kick shall be given to the nearest opponent at the spot of the original free kick, if doing so will penalise the offending team.
12.2.6 If a breach of the laws is committed, regardless of the position on the field, the free kick is to be taken at the spot where the infringement occurred, or where the ball is at the time, whichever would be the greater penalty for the offending team.
12.2.7 A free kick shall be given if a player infringes any of the laws between the time the field umpire sounds his whistle and bounces the ball.
   
12.3 Free kicks for infringements concerning the field umpire bouncing the ball will be awarded against the player who:
12.3.1 Enters the centre circle when the field umpire is in the act of bouncing the ball at the start of the match, the start of each quarter, and after a goal has been scored.
12.3.2 Interferes with an opponent from the time the ball has been bounced in the centre circle until the ball subsequently makes contact with a player or the ground.
12.3.3 Unduly interferes with the bouncing of the ball by the field umpire or deliberately interferes with an umpire during the progress of the match.
   
12.4 A free kick will be awarded against a player who interferes with an opponent in the following manner:
12.4.1 Interferes with an opponent from the time the ball goes out of bounds, until the ball, after being thrown in by the boundary umpire, makes contact with a player or the ground.
12.4.2 When a goal is kicked by a player, and while the ball is being kicked or is in transit a breach of the laws is made by an opponent, the field umpire shall give the "All Clear" signal and the goal shall be registered; but in the event of a behind being scored the ball not having touched the ground or player, the player shall be given the option of another kick.
12.4.3 After the ball has been kicked and an infringement occurs, and the ball crosses the behind line on the full or hits the goal post on the full, the option of another kick shall be given to the player who originally kicked the ball at the spot from where the kick originated. If the breach of the laws occurred before or during the act of kicking or handball, a free kick shall be taken by the player offended against, at the spot where the breach occurred, provided that the team offended against will not be penalised by the taking of such a free kick.
12.4.4 If a breach of the Laws is made by a player of the attacking side, the field umpire shall not signal "All Clear" but must award a free kick, to the nearest player of the defending team.
 
12.4.5 If a player is fouled immediately after scoring a goal or behind and after the field umpire has given the "Al Clear", the field umpire shall award such player a free kick at the spot where the offence took place. Another score may then be registered without the ball having been bounced in the centre circle or kicked off.
12.4.6 If a breach of the laws is committed against a player who has diposed of the ball, or who is sherpherding for a teammate with the ball, and this occurs after the ball has been kicked or handballed, a penalty free kick shall be awarded to a player of the team offended against at the spot where the ball first touched the ground, a player, was marked or went out of bounds. If the awarding of such a free kick will penalise the team offended against, the free kick shall be given to the player who originally kicked the ball.
12.4.7 Trips or kicks, attempts to trip or kick or slings an opponent, or when not in possession of the ball, kicks in a manner likely to cause injury to an opponent, or strikes or attempts to strike an opponent with either hand or arm or deliberately with the knee.
   
12.5 A free kick shall be awarded against a player who kicks the ball out of bounds in the following manner:
12.5.1 Kicks the ball out of bounds on the full. The free kick shall be taken at the spot where the ball went out of bounds across the boundary line or adjacent to the behind post.
12.5.2 When kicking off after a behind has been registered, the ball is kicked out of bounds without it having been touched by any player, a free kick shall be given at the spot where the ball went out of bounds.
12.5.3 Wilfully kicks or forces the ball out of bounds without it being touched by another player.
   
12.6 A free kick shall be awarded against the player who checks or tackles an opponent in the following manner:
12.6.1 Catches hold of an opponent below the knee or by the neck or head, which includes the top of the shoulder.
12.6.2 Charges an opponent.
12.6.3 Pushes an opponent from behind in any way, except when legitimately going for a mark, a player may interfere with an opponent from behind.
12.6.4 Pushes, bumps or shepherds an opponent in the face, head, neck or in the shoulder.
12.6.5 Pushes, bumps or shepherds an opponent who is in the air for a mark.
12.6.6 Shepherds an opponent when the ball is more than five metres away or is out of play.
12.6.7 Deliberately holds back or throws an opponent after that opponent has kicked or handballed the ball. No free kick shall be given if the player, unable to release his hold at once, throws the opponent down.
   
12.7 A free kick shall be awarded against a player who interferes with play as follows:
12.7.1 If the ball is in transit towards goal from a free kick, mark or field kick and an opponent shakes the goal post, the field umpire shall give the player the option of another kick if in the umpires's opinion, the opponent's action could have affected the result.
12.7.2 If a teammate shakes the goal post, the field umpire shall award a free kick to the nearest opponent at the spot from where the ball was kicked.
   
12.8 A free kick shall be awarded against a player who wilfully wastes time by not allowing the ball to be brought into play prior to, or when directed to do so, by the field umpire.
   
12.9 A free kick shall be awarded against the team as follows:
12.9.1 Any official runner, trainer, medical officer, other approved team official or replaced player who interferes with the ball, the play or a player of the opposing team during the course of the game shall cause the field umpire to award a free kick to the nearest player of the team offended against at the spot of the infringement, or where the ball is at the time, whichever would be a greater penalty to the offending team.
12.9.2 A free kick shall be awarded against a player who carries the ball across the boundary line, and after a boundary umpire signals out of bounds, does not give the ball immediately to the boundary umpire or drop it directly to the ground.
12.9.3 A free kick shall be awarded against a player who touches the ball after it has passed outside the boundary line and been signalled out of bounds by the boundary umpire, except for a player of the team to receive the free kick when the ball has been kicked out on the full, kicked out directly from a kick off from a behind, or wilfully kicked or forced out without being touched by another player.
12.9.4 A free kick shall be awarded against a player who uses abusive, insulting or obscene language to an umpire or behaves in an abusive, insulting or obscene manner towards an umpire.
 

 

 

  
 
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