Question Number: 13375

Law 18 - Common Sense 7/19/2006

RE: Competitive Under 14

Dennis Anthony of Meridian, Idaho USA asks...

Hello,
Is a player allowed to trap the ball (in the abdomen, on the shoulders or in the legs) and continue down field with the ball trapped as such?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

If a player comes near him...dangeorus play. IFK for opposition. If he had it trapped with shoulder...TWEET..handball which is dfk.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This player has the ball in a place where it may not be played, his actions are unsporting. Stop play, caution and show the yellow card and restart with an indirect free kick. If he uses his hands to hold it in his jersey this is deliberately handling the ball as well as unsporting behavior, caution restart direct.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Dennis,
On the shoulders do you mean on the back of the neck where a player flexes to make a pocket for the ball to lie in?

The Blanco bunny hop with a ball wedged betwen his knees or thighs?

The jersey sheet with a ball held in by material?

The first two could be done provided a referee does not see playing in a dangerous manner.

The third one is USB and simply not a credible juggling or realistic play on the ball. It is in fact a DFK for handling mind you if the teeth were used only an INDFK for the cautionable act. The keeper as he can use his hands inside the penalty area if this was done would also recieve an INDFK from where the act occured.

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

I echo my collegues' comments.....I just gotta know....did this really happen or is it simply a result of supposition?