Question Number: 20736

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/15/2009

RE: All

Greg George of Indianapolis, IN USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 20697

In your descriptions you all have missed and even errored in an important point...

In passing the ball to your goalkeeper, the goalkeeper cannot play the ball, period. This means he cannot play the ball with his hands OR his feet.

You may wish to read Decision 3 in Law 12 and make corrections to your previous answers.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

I always love a good laugh, thanks for that!

:D

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Very interesting... I have looked in the Laws of the Game 2008/2009 and can not find Law 12 IFAB Decision 3. In fact Law 12 no longer has any IFAB Decisions. There is, however, on page 112 of FIFA's LotG [.pdf copy] a very good explanation of when the keeper can and when it is prohibited from using his hands.

If you are of the opinion the keeper may not play the ball should it have been deliberately kicked to him, or to where he can play it, you are mistaken. The keeper is prohibited from using HIS HANDS! He may use other parts of his body just as an outfield player may.

Time for a recert.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

As Ref Fleischer notes, the Decisions are no longer printed in the LOTG. Last year's copy shows Decision 3 (for those without instant recall of such matters) dealing with trickery. It appears Mr. George has misread Decision 3, because the player at fault in the scenario of trickery is NOT the keeper, but the player who does the trickery. It doesn't matter if the keeper picks it up, kicks it or whatever - the offense was committed, and play stopped at the time of the trickery (before the ball gets to the keeper).

What I am curious about is how on earth Mr. George reached the conclusion that the keeper is not allowed to play a ball IN ANY FASHION which has been passed to him by a teammate (assuming no trickery, of course)?

LOTG 2007-2008
? Decision 3
Subject to the terms of Law 12, a player
may pass the ball to his own goalkeeper
using his head or chest or knee, etc. If,
however, in the opinion of the referee, a
player uses a deliberate trick while the ball
is in play in order to circumvent the Law,
the player is guilty of unsporting behavior.
He is cautioned, shown the yellow card and
an indirect free kick is awarded to the
opposing team from the place where the
infringement occurred.* (see page 3)
A player using a deliberate trick to
circumvent the Law while he is taking a
free kick, is cautioned for unsporting
behavior and shown the yellow card. The
free kick is retaken.
In such circumstances, it is irrelevant
whether the goalkeeper subsequently
touches the ball with his hands or not. The
offense is committed by the player in
attempting to circumvent both the letter
and the spirit of Law 12.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You couldn't be more wrong. You're not even getting what Law 12 decision 3 meant. Law 12 decision 3 has NOTHING to do with the keeper's playing of the ball at all. Law 12 Decision 3 stated that if a teammate of the keeper's committed trickery to get around the Laws Of The Game he must be punished for misconduct, unsporting behavior. Play stops at that point and what the keeper does or does not do is immaterial as the misconduct has already been committed by the teammate. You obviously didn't even read the last paragraph of Law 12 Decision 3 which says it is irrelevant whether the keeper subsequently touches the ball with his hands as the offense is committed by the player committing the trickery.You are woefully mistaken if you think a keeper may not play the ball with his feet if the ball has been deliberately kicked to him by an opponent. Please read page 111 of Interpretations which clearly only prohibits the keeper from using his hands if a ball is deliberately kicked to him by a teammate. Also read the pertinent portion of Advice To referees On The Laws Of The Game. You cannot download the 2008 copy but the 2007 copy is available for free at www.ussoccer.com. This infraction is covered in section 12.20 and has not changed in the 2008 copy. Please note, again, that the keeper is only prohibited from touching the ball with his HANDS if the ball has been deliberately kicked to him by his teammate. I hope you are not also mistaken about whether the keeper may use his feet if the ball is thrown-in to him by a teammate. He may and this is covered in Advice section 12.21. Since you are obviously very confused as to what the keeper may do or not do, I would refer you to Advice section 12.19 which states that once the keeper has released the ball from his possession he may not touch the ball with his Hands. This is reiterated in Interpretations page 111. You are a referee and are supposed to know these things. Finally, the referenced question was answered by SEVEN of us. Do you really think we would all get this wrong? There will be no changing of our answers to the referenced question but you might want to do some additional reading to make sure there are no other areas you need to re-evaluate. And please do not punish the keeper if he kicks a ball deliberately kicked or thrown to him by a teammate.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

I am of the belief as my colleague Ref Montanino this was a funny ha ha and not a reality check!
Cheers

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

See Question: 20740