Question Number: 15180

Law 16 - Goal Kick 4/14/2007

RE: rec High School

RENZOCGARCIA of Amityville, ny usa asks...

This question is a follow up to question 14831

on a goal kick. the goaldy places the ball then decideds to place it in the other side while placing the ball he picks it up and decides to go back to the other side. the referee gives him a caution yellow card for deley of game. then proceeds to give the other team an inderect free kick inside the box. is this the right procedure under the law.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Yes and no. Once the ball is placed on the ground, the keeper may not move it unless there is some strange High School rule that allows it. The referee may consider the moving to be delaying the restart of play and may within Law caution the keeper. However, he most certainly may NOT award a free kick to the other team. The ball was never put into play so the restart must be a goal kick. Of course, I am answering this question by the Laws of soccer played everywhere in the world except US High School. There may be some strange rule that allows the other team a free kick but I doubt even US High School is that stupid.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

In the American High School once the ball is spotted it MAY NOT be moved from one spot to another. If the referee decides to caution this delay of a restart he is within the rule to do so, however the restart, a goal kick, remains the same.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Let me take a moment to remind all of our readers of one truth that is a constant regarding soccer rules.

Aside from the end of a period of a time, once a restart has been established -- there is nothing that can happen that will change that restart. You can see all sorts of misconduct but there is nothing that could be done to change the restart of the game after the ball is already out of play.

There are 2 exceptions. In FIFA soccer if you take a penalty kick in the wrong direction then you must change the restart and give an IFK to the other team, and in HS if a throw-in does not enter the field of play the throw-in shall be retaken by the other team.

Otherwise... This is very important to remember, even in HS soccer.