Question Number: 20765

Law 15 - Throw In 1/26/2009

RE: select High School

john of wilson, north carolina wilson asks...

Can my defensive player on my team throw the ball in the air( on a throw in)to my goalie and my goalie catch the ball in the air.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

No. The goalkeeper may not use his hands to play a ball thrown directly to him by a throw-in taken by his own team.

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Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Yes your defender 'can' do this and Yes your keeper 'can' catch the ball in the air. However, high school rules prohibit this as a legal play and the referee should stop play and award an indirect free kick against your side for the keeper handling the ball directly throw-in to him by a team mate. This has been so since 1998 in US High School and 1997 in the rest of the world's Laws of the Game.

Having the ball caught in the air or after bouncing 2 times or after rolling some distance does not change the fact the ball has been directly thrown in by a colleague.

Regards,

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

He certainly is able to do this but the keeper is forbidden to use his hands on a ball directly thrown-in to him by a teammate. That means the ball must touch another player before the keeper may handle it legally and it doesn't matter if the ball is in the air or on the ground. Until the ball touches another player, the keeper may not touch it with his hands. Punishment is an indirect free kick for the opponents

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