>>>http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/11/video-long-thro.html
>>
>>That's one of the reasons there is a rule against the defender being that close to the throw-in. He is supposed to be at least 2 meters back.
>
>Ah, but if you read the comments, you'd see that the rule was introduced a year after this happened.

As the comment at 3:02 p.m. today indicates, the rule was already in effect. It was changed to 2 meters in 2004. To be honest I don't remember whether it was 1 meter before that or if no distance was specified.