Question Number: 14470

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/19/2006

RE: Select Under 12

Doug Taylor of Chesterfield, VA United States asks...

At what point is the goal keeper deemed to be handling the ball outside of his box? We had an interesting situation in a game this weekend, where the goalkeeper was punting the ball, released the ball while still in his box, but his plant foot was partially over the line of his goal box. The opposing team was awarded a free kick.

The FIFA rules seem pretty thin in this area...any thoughts on interpretation would be interesting.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Give handling when the ball is outside his penalty area; exactly as it is written in the Laws of the Game.

The Laws of the Game ARE not thin!!!!! Our problem stems from the referee confusing American sports such as basketball and gridiron football where touching the line with a foot stops play even though the ball is up to a yard inside the field of play. Rubbish!

In this Game the Law says this: handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area). Here the subject is "the ball" or "ball". The verb is "handles". So the parenthetical statement clearly refers to what the named player may do to the ball. If it's inside the goalkeeper's penalty area he's entitled , by exception, to use his hands. It is such a simple thing, it is no wonder why some people must complicate the %#^& out of it...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The FIFA Laws are very clear. The keeper can only handle the ball deliberatly in his penalty area. Once the full ball is out of area, it becomes an infraction. Feet mean nothing it is all a matter of where the ball is. Hope that helps.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Doug. FIFA rules are very clear as far as handling is concerned. The keeper is deliberately handling the ball, if the ball is all the way out of the penalty area (ALL of the ball over ALL of the line) and he has it touching his hand. Doesn't matter where his feet or body are, just the hands. That said, Law 5 empowers the referee to NOT call any infringement of the Laws if the referee believes the infringement to be trifling. If a keeper is punting the ball out of his own penalty area and carries the ball over a few inches or even a foot, so what? He hasn't given his team an unfair advantage and most referees with any experience would call this trifling and allow play to continue.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

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