If a defender throws a rock at a substitute off the field, what is the restart?

In the scenario where a defender throws a rock at a substitute off the field, the appropriate restart is an indirect free kick. This is due to the nature of the offense, which falls under violent conduct or misconduct that occurs away from the field of play, impacting the player outside of the game but still within the context of the match.

When violent conduct is deemed to have occurred, the referee will award an indirect free kick to the opposing team from the location where the offense occurred. The reason it is indirect rather than direct is that when a player commits a foul against someone who is not on the field, the restart is governed by the Laws of the Game which specify that certain types of offenses lead to indirect free kicks. In this case, the defender's action represents a violation against the spirit of the game and player safety, necessitating this specific type of restart.

Understanding this situation helps to clarify why an indirect free kick is the correct response to violent conduct, while other options like direct free kicks or penalty kicks apply to different contexts of fouls or misconduct occurring on the pitch itself or within the penalty area. The distinction between these types of restarts is crucial for enforcing the Laws of the Game properly and maintaining fair play.