During a dropped-ball restart, what decision can a referee not make?

In a dropped-ball restart situation, the referee has specific limitations regarding their decision-making authority. The correct answer highlights that the referee cannot determine the exact location where the ball should be dropped. Instead, the drop location is dictated by the circumstances leading to the dropped ball, such as where the ball was when play was stopped or where the infringement occurred.

In practice, this means that if play is halted due to an injury or other circumstances, the referee must drop the ball at the location where it was when play was interrupted, which is usually where the ball last touched a player or went out of play. This emphasizes the objective nature of the dropped ball restart, where the position is determined by the game’s events rather than the referee's discretion.

The other options relate to the referee's authority or decision-making during a dropped-ball situation. For instance, the type of restart, whether it’s a dropped ball or a different type of restart, is determined based on gameplay rather than referee choice. Similarly, the team eligible to receive the restart typically follows the rules of the game, and the timing of the restart is also at the discretion of the referee but does not influence the authority over the drop location. These constraints ensure fairness in the game while also maintaining the