Question Number: 21593

Law 15 - Throw In 6/26/2009

RE: REC Adult

ALEX PEREZ of IRVINGTON, NJ USA asks...

IN A THROW-IN CAN A GOALKEEPER PICKUP THE BALL WITH HIS HAND AFTER HE HAS TOUCH THE BALL WITH HIS BODY AND HAS TOUCH THE FIELD OF PLAY, IF THE BALL HAS BEEN THROWN IN FROM ONE OF HIS TEANMATE ,FIFA RULE STADES THAT A GOALKEEPER CAN NOT HANDLE BALL THE DIRECLTY , CAN HE HANDLE IT INDIRECLTY .

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Directly means without the intervening touch of another player.

If the ball has been thrown in by a teammate, and has not been touched by any other player from either side, the goalkeeper cannot handle it, even if he kicks it or heads it or plays it some other way first.

Oh, and your caps lock key was stuck on. That makes it harder to read the text, and indicates shouting in Internetland.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

No. The ball must touch another player before the keeper can handle it from a throw-in by a teammate.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

The laws state that he cannot handle it after he has directly received it from a throw in - it doesn't make a difference if he kicks it around for a bit, or if he controls it with his chest or head first - he's still received it directly. It's just the same when it's kicked to him by a defender - it doesn't matter if the keeper dribbles the ball around the box for a bit, even though he didn't handle it straight away he still received it directly.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Indirectly means it's touched another player. The keeper may not handle a ball thrown-in by a teammate until the ball touches any other player.

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

See Question: 22488