Preamble:
IN episode seven I brought to light that the seventeen Laws of the Game are thematically grouped into four categories; namely Components (inoperative), Authority (Match Officials), Rules of Play (method of play) and Technical (Game situations).
So far I have dealt with and finished all the episodes in the Authority and Technical categories. Two more Laws out of four in Component category (Law 1: The Field of Play and Law 2: The Ball) have not yet been done but will be addressed later.
The Laws in Rules of play deal with the methods of starting and restarting a match. Today’s Law deals with how a match is restarted when the whole of the ball crosses the touch-line, either in the air or on the ground whereby the ball is put back into play by use of the hands (thrown) which is today theme “Throw-In.”
When the ball is being thrown-in, all opponents may be no closer than two metres from the point at which the throw-in is taken. The Referee will warn any player standing within this distance before the throw-in is taken and the player shall be cautioned and shown a Yellow Card if he subsequently fails to retreat to the correct distance.
Throw-In:
A throw-in is a method of restarting play.
A throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball when the whole of the ball crosses the touch-line, either on the ground or in the air. A goal cannot be scored directly from the throw-in.
Procedure:
At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower:
*  Faces the field of play.
*  Has part of each foot either on the touch-line or on the ground
outside the touch-line.
*  Holds the ball with both hands.
*  Delivers the ball from behind and over the head.
*  Delivers the ball from the point where it left the field of play.
All opponents must stand no less than 2 metres from the point at which the throw-in is taken. The ball is in play when it enters the field of play.
After delivering the ball, the thrower must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player.
Infringements and Sanctions:
Throw-in taken by a player other than the goal-keeper:
If, after the ball is in play, the thrower touches the ball again (except with his hands) before it has another player:
* An indirect free-kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred, unless the infringement occurred inside the goal-area, in which case the kick is taken on the goal-area line parallel to the goal-line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
If, after the ball is in play, the thrower deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
* A direct free-kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
* A penalty-kick is awarded if the infringement occurred inside the thrower’s penalty-area.
Throw-in taken by the goal-keeper:
If, after the ball is in play, the goal-keeper touches the ball again (except with his hands), before it has touched another player:
* An indirect free-kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred, unless the infringement occurred inside the goal-are in which case the kick is taken on the goal-area line parallel to the goal-line at a point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
If, the ball is in play, the goal-keeper deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
* A direct free-kick is awarded to the opposing team if the infringement occurred outside the goal-keeper’s penalty-area, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
* An indirect free-kick is awarded to the opposing team if the infringement occurred inside the goal-keeper’s penalty-area to be taken on the goal-area line parallel to the goal-line at point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
If an opponent unfairly distracts or impedes the thrower:-
* He is cautioned  for unsporting behaviour
For any other infringement of this Law:-
* The throw-in is taken by a player of the opposing team.
Procedure:
If a player, while correctly taking a throw-in, intentionally throws the ball at an opponent in order to play the ball again but neither in a careless or reckless manner nor using excessive force, the referee must allow play to continue.
If the ball enters the opponents’ goal directly from the throw-in, the referee must award a goal-kick. If the ball enters the thrower’s own goal directly from a throw-in, the referee must award a corner-kick.
If the ball touches the ground before entering the field of play, the throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position provided that it was taken in line with the correct procedure.
If the throw-in is not taken in line with the correct procedure, it is retaken by the opposing team.
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