Question Number: 19917

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/10/2008

RE: High School

Brian of Madison, OH USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19847

Can you pass the ball back to your own goalie with your head and not have it counted as a hand ball?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Brian. First some terminology. 'Handball' doesn't mean anything so we try not to use that term. The direct kick foul is deliberately handling the ball something that doesn't apply to the keeper inside his own penalty area. The second term we don't use is 'passback' as it likewise doesn't mean anything. This usually means deliberately kicking the ball to one's own keeper. If a teammate of the keeper's deiberately kicks the ball with his foot either to the keeper or to a place where the keeper may collect the ball, the keeper may not legally handle it inside his own penalty area. 2 things become clear here, first the handling offense by the keeper is NOT deliberately handling the ball so it is punished by an indirect free kick to the keeper's opponents, NEVER a penalty kick, second, if the ball is passed in any legal manner other than with the foot, the keeper is free to legally handle the ball inside his own penalty area. So, if a teammate of the keepers heads the ball to him, he may legally handle the ball as long as he's inside his own penalty area

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Once again we have the two top myths being reenergized.

When a player passes a ball with any body part in ANY DIRECTION towards their keeper the keeper is permitted to always play the ball with their feet.

In the cases where a team mate, using a deliberate kick of the ball passes the ball to the keeper or on a DIRECT throw in, the keeper is temporarily restricted and the exemption of being able to use his HANDS inside his own penalty area is not permitted.

There are four INDFK offences inwhich a keeper is restricted from using their hands in the normal execution of thei duties as keeper.
The two type of passes are the 3rd and 4th point
LAW 12 Fouls and MIsconduct
Indirect Free Kick
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper,
inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following four offences:
(1) ? controls the ball with his hands for more than six seconds before
releasing it from his possession
(2) ? touches the ball again with his hands after he has released it from his possession and before it has touched another player
(3) ? touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate
(4) ? touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate

There term *back pass* perpetuates myths same as the term *handball* because they convey a different set of circumstances to those who hear it or use it from what the laws of the game actually infer.
NO WHERE in law is it illegal to pass the ball back unless we are talking a restart of a PK or kick off where the ball must in fact go forward.
NO WHERE in law does it distinguish just who the ball can be passed back to! Any team mate including the keeper are permitted to receive a ball passed back to them by a teammate!

WHAT the laws do say is there is a SPECIFIC restriction ,an exemption of an exemption if you will that suspends the right for a keeper to use his hands on the ball while within his OWN penalty area.

NOTE while there are only TWO SPECIFIC passing incidents a deliberate kick by a TEAM MATE and a throw in by a TEAM MATE that affect the KEEPER to the degree that he is unable to use his hands on the ball in his own penalty area.
It is OK for the keeper to use his hands inside his own penalty area on ANY OTHER TYPE OF PASS by a teammate, a headed or chested ball for example without restrictions.

There is one unusual set of circumstances that could affect what we have discussed. If a player tries to circumvent or get around the spirit of the law by an act of USB where he flicks the ball from his foot to his head or drops to the ground for no reason other than to head the ball. That in itself is a reason to stop play the keeper does NOT even have to touch the ball with his hands as the offence occurs by the USB act itself.

The foul of HANDLES the ball deliberately is ONLY a DFK foul from the point of contact UNLESS it occurs inside your own penalty area in which case it is a PK yet it is an IMPOSSIBLE foul for a keeper to perform INSIDE his own area as he is permitted to use his hands.

OUTSIDE his area it is a DFK with cautionable or even send off applications but inside his penalty area there are only the four restrictions punished with an INDFK restart as mentioned above.
And while I rarely say never, It is NEVER EVER A PK for a keeper

A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off if he commits the following offence:
? denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring
opportunity by deliberately handling the ball ***(this does not apply
to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)*** note the exception in law
Cheers