[kygunner]

I havent seen a drop ball for years, except when a player is injured and they do the token drop. This weekend in English Premiership games I saw 2 of them for fouls commited simultaneously. Coincidence or was there an issue brought up to officials to drop the ball more.

[faizalenu]

Drop Balls are rare at higher levels of play, generally there is only two time that you give a drop ball:
1) If you stop restart the game for an injury.
2) If you stop and restart the game to administer a card (very rare since the referee has the discretion to give a card at the next stoppage.)

It is kind of chicken to give a drop ball for simultaneous fouls because you have discretion to give it to the more severe foul/offense and it destroys the flow of the game.

[billf]

Can you describe the situation in more detail? We're generally told in the US to choose a direction and not to drop the ball in a situation like that. If there are two simutaneous fouls, you could pick the more severe or say something acknowleging that you saw both fouls, but allow play to continue. It's all up to the wisdow of the referee though. If he saw a benefit to doing that, then I'm sure the referee at that level could sell his decision. I'd guess there was a game management reason for doing it, but the same could (theoretically) be accomplished by letting the game continue.

[billf]

Originally posted by faizalenu
Drop Balls are rare at higher levels of play, generally there is only two time that you give a drop ball:
1) If you stop restart the game for an injury.
2) If you stop and restart the game to administer a card (very rare since the referee has the discretion to give a card at the next stoppage.)

It is kind of chicken to give a drop ball for simultaneous fouls because you have discretion to give it to the more severe foul/offense and it destroys the flow of the game.

You never, ever, drop the ball after you stop play to administer a caution. If you were to stop play to issue a caution for dissent, the correct restart would be an IFK where the offense occured unless you stopped play for an offense punishible by a DFK. In that case, you'd restart with DFK at the spot of the foul.

[IASocFan]

If you discover a fight behind your back between opposing players and with the help of your assistants couldn't determine who started it, then the proper restart would be a drop ball after sending the two off. I've had to do this. (Fortunately only once.)

[MassachusettsRef]

Originally posted by IASocFan
If you discover a fight behind your back between opposing players and with the help of your assistants couldn't determine who started it, then the proper restart would be a drop ball after sending the two off. I've had to do this. (Fortunately only once.)

I don't know if that's 'proper', though it would certainly be just.

Inherently, you or your AR would have seen a 'first' punch when you saw the altercation (even if it was the 3rd or 4th punch). That punch--a strike--is the first foul you saw. The 'proper' thing to do is to give the DFK to the other team, as, that punch is the immediate reason that you are whistling to stop the match.

Again, the restart you chose was just, and I doubt anyone argued (especially if it was in the PA), but I don't think it can be called 'proper'.

[faizalenu]

Originally posted by billf


You never, ever, drop the ball after you stop play to administer a caution. If you were to stop play to issue a caution for dissent, the correct restart would be an IFK where the offense occured unless you stopped play for an offense punishible by a DFK. In that case, you'd restart with DFK at the spot of the foul.

You are absolutely right.

[Jeff L]

There has certainly been no indication in this season's "update" of the laws about the drop ball situation in England. As stated above, it is used manly as a "token" incident for injury etc.
Seeing both fouls at once. You're either an exceptionly good referee, or one who can't make up his mind, if that is the decision for using it. I would assume the latter if that is why it was used.

[Andyrey]

Originally posted by billf


You never, ever, drop the ball after you stop play to administer a caution. If you were to stop play to issue a caution for dissent, the correct restart would be an IFK where the offense occured unless you stopped play for an offense punishible by a DFK. In that case, you'd restart with DFK at the spot of the foul.

Not true. If you stop play to administer a caution for something that happened off the field of play, or something that was done by a substitue, the correct restart is a drop ball.

[Jeff L]

Technically that might be correct, but the "professional" way of dealing with an incident off the field of play, unless serious, is to wait until play has stopped, and then deal with the matter. Play would then resume upon how the game stopped. i.e. goal kick, free kick, foul, corner, etc.