Question Number: 20329

Law 18 - Common Sense 10/21/2008

RE: 8 Under 11

Fred Doyle of Castro Valley, Ca USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 10288

On a goal kick, the goalie places ball down in goal area in preparation to kick ball. Goalie doesn't like location he placed ball so he picks ball up moves it a couple feet to a more even turf area.

Opponent coach complains that once goalie sets ball down for goal kick he cannot pick it up to move ball before kicking.

Other coach says ball not in play until ball kicked and ball passes the penalty area, therefore goalie can pick up ball place and place in a better legal turf area in goal box before kicking.

Coach says this also applies to corner kicks in which kicker can pick up ball or move ball into better legal area of corner kick zone prior to kicking ball.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Goalkeepers, or any other players, are not allowed to waste time at goal kicks. Sometimes the ball is placed on the left side, and then the keeper decides to move to the right side for some perceived advantage there. In reality, any opponents not completely asleep will shift their positions accordingly, so there is nothing to be gained. We've only lost some time. For this reason, generally the ball should not be moved once placed. Some referees have a hand and fast rule-of-thumb that once the ball is placed, it cannot be moved. But it's rather trifling if all the player is doing is getting it out of a rut and to a better lie for a kick. The issue is not the movement of the ball, but how long the keeper is taking to take the kick.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Well, for once a complaining coach is actually correct! USSF has ruled that once the ball is on the ground and in place for a goal kick, there is no reason to move it other than to waste time. The referee should have stopped the keeper from moving the ball.US referees are bound by this but not those in other countries as the LOTG do not address this. That said, it's a trifling infraction and shouldn't be punished unless the keeper insists on doing this after being told he cannot.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The USSF has said that this should be prohibited. The Laws of the game however do not specify that.

So, some places in the world the keeper would be free to move the ball, so long as he was not wasting time. In the USA - this is probably a caution.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Consider the reason it is moved - USSF Advice to Referees says if the ball is moved 'unnecessarily' to another location it can be considered time wasting. If the moving is done quickly, without delay, and isn't more than a few inches or feet, it can be considered trifling, and the restart can go forward. The situation you describe sounds like one of these, but it depends in part on the time taken...

Note the things that should signal an issue:
Setting the ball, backing up and starting to move to kick and then suddenly deciding it needs to be moved two feet or twenty feet: TWEET. Leave it! If they don't respond to the 'Leave it!' command, proceed accordingly.
Setting the ball down, waiting for the other team to set up, and then suddenly moving the ball to the other side of the goal area. TWEET. Caution. Take the kick. No need to move it back to the original spot - the time has already been wasted and punished, and I'm sure the referee will not blow the whistle for a restart until the teams are in position.

A caution for either delaying the restart of play or a caution for persistent infringement can be given, if the team is foolish enough to move it again after being cautioned once, or warned multiple times.

Some teams developed a penchant for putting the ball down on one corner of the goal area, waiting until the opponents had set up for the kick and then picking up the ball, running to the other corner, setting it down and quickly kicking it, hoping to do so before the other team could adjust. That is blatant time wasting, and unfair use of a restart, and should be punished with a caution for delaying the restart of the game.