Question Number: 19965

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 9/16/2008

RE: Rec, select Under 18

Gary Morgan of Culpeper, VA USA asks...

Hello, thanks for all your great work! You may have answered a question like this already, but I can't find it so here goes:

As I understand it, the goalkeeper may handle the ball anytime the ball is inside the penalty area. (Ignore exceptions for 2-touches or receiving from a throw-in, etc). Does the goalkeeper himself/herself need to be within the penalty area? For example, a scramble for the ball near the 18 yard line and the keeper ends up on the ground, hands on the ball IN the penalty area but torso and legs OUT of the penalty area. Or, keeper on the ground IN the goal but the ball in his/her hands on the ball OUT of the goal.

Are there different rulings on such situations in High School or College versus youth leagues?

Thank you!

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It is the location of the ball that defines whether it is in or out of the penalty area - in all three versions of the Laws/rules. Admittedly it is a rather poor wording: 'handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)' in the Laws. My preference would be for it to say '(except for the goalkeeper when the ball is within his own penalty area)'. If any little sliver of the ball eclipses any small slice of the penalty area line, the goalkeeper is free to handle it - regardless of the position of the rest of his body. He will have to be careful to ensure that the ball stays within the PA as long as he is touching it.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

It only matters where the BALL is. The keeper can be completely outside his own penalty area but is allowed to reach in and handle any ball within the boundaries of the penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The ball is a sphere but is really about 8 inches across the boundary lines are 5 inches wide. IF you understand the 5 inch boundary line is a 5 inch invisible wall extending straight up in to the sky. The outer edge of the 8 inch ball could be in contact with the outside of the 5 inch edge of the penalty area boundary line, meaning the far edge of the ball is nearly 13 inches from the inside edge of the boundary line.

The laws state that if the ball is in contact with the boundary line it is inside that part of the field .
So a keeper can reach his arms outside and scoop that ball towards him with no problem.
The key point here is the location of the keeper is irrelevant!
ONLY the BALL LOCATION is judged
A 6 foot keeper could go COMPLETELY outside his own area and lay down, feet pointing towards the midline stretch out his arms another three feet back towards his goal and get a finger tip to that edge of the ball 13 inches away from the inside of the PA boundary line making the tip of his toes 10 feet away from the PA boundary line and he is OK to handle that ball as it is inside his own penalty area even that little bit of it.
Cheers