Free Throw Lane Violation???

[Rusty Gilbert]

Saw this recently and wondered what is the correct ruling:

Free throw attempt with lane spaces occupied. Player in bottom lane space leans over lane line getting ready for rebound when she loses her balance, tips forward, touches the lane with her hands, and then is able to regain her balance without ever breaking the vertical lane line plane with her foot. Refs blew whistle for violation of "coming into the lane too soon" (assume there was no disconcertion), awarded a repeat free throw (first one missed), and no one said a thing.

Someone sitting next to me stated (correctly) that rule 9 defining the free throw violation prohibits the "foot braking the plane" prior to the ball touching the rim but makes no reference to a person touching the free throw lane area prior to the free throw restrictions being removed.

Is touching the free throw lane area with one's hand in the above situation a free throw violation or not?