Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Goodman
That's what I'd say about the player of R standing out of bounds who touches a rolling free kick to make it out of bounds, based on a broad reading of "participate" (taking the provision on "illegal participation" implicitly defining "participate" as non-exhaustive) even though he didn't "return". However, I'd have a hard time considering it illegal participation for a player who'd just stepped over the sideline and jumped for the ball. Seems to me the spirit of the rule against illegal participation requires a player deliberately try to take advantage of going out of bounds.
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You've confused me. You're saying you would call IP on a player who hasn't returned but won't on one who has?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Goodman
I'd say AJ has the spirit of the rule correct. To me it seems harsh to give a penalty for IP for an act that runs against the spirit of the rule on illegal participation, but silly to consider the ball to remain in play when it leads to such strange consequences. Sometimes you just have to understand that the rules writers made an oversight in the wording and rule on the obvious spirit of the rule rather than the letter.
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AJ has the spirit of the rules wrong (and right since as crowder has pointed out he goes back and forth on his result). The spirit of the rule is that you are not allowed to participate if you leave the field unless forced off. The spirit of the rule is also that a ball isn't dead until it goes OOB or falls incomplete.
Despite this, AJ wants to rule that a ball that has not gone out of bounds is dead. That's against the spirit of the rules.
As to strange consequences, I don't see them. What's strange about calling a penalty?