Question Number: 21982

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/15/2009

RE: Varsity, Premier Club High School

Aaron of Menasha, WI USA asks...

The idea of a keeper hand ball has come into play with the ref or assistants not seeing the play that has caused confusion. This is the 2nd instance, one in a game with our team and one with a varsity game for players on our summer club. I have searched online for any information dealing with the question but have so far come up blank.

The ball is outside the 18 but not by more than a step or two and so is the keeper. Instead of clearing the ball off his foot like a normal defender, the keeper shields the ball, dribbles back inside the 18 and then picks it up to wither throw it our or punt it.

Now I know in FIFA rules that would be a keeper hand ball but with the quirky rules of Wisconsin High school soccer (WIAA), is the keeper allowed to dribble the ball back into the 18 and pick it up?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

FIFA Laws or NFHS rules are the same. If the ball was not deliberately kicked to the keeper by a teammate, he is free to retrieve it outside the penalty area, dribble it in, and then handle it.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

I can make neither heads nor tails of your question, so I'll try to answer with some basics. Reading Law 12 of the Laws of the Game might advance your understanding.

If the keeper did not use her hands outside of the penalty area (the 18, in your lingo), and used only her feet to bring the ball back inside the penalty area, then she has done nothing that either the NFHS rules or the FIFA Laws of the Game call a violation*. A keeper cannot be charged with deliberately handling the ball (yes, that's the foul - it has nothing to do with little rubber balls) inside her own penalty area. NEVER.

*The only possible exception would be if the ball she dribbles back into the penalty area had come from a teammate's deliberate kick to her or from a throw-in from a teammate. In that case, the keeper can only be charged with handling a ball deliberately kicked to her by a teammate or thrown in to her by a teammate - an indirect free kick from where she picked it up (inside the penalty area).

There is nothing to prevent a keeper from playing as a normal player outside of the penalty area. The keeper can run the length and breadth of the field, head the ball, kick the ball, challenge for the ball and do anything a normal player can do. Only inside of the penalty area do the keeper's special privileges to handle the ball exist.

Say the keeper was getting ready to punt the ball, let go of it, and it hit the ground instead of being punted, at which point she thinks 'oopsie!' and dribbles it back into the penalty area to pick it up and try again. Now she has committed the IDFK offense of releasing the ball into play and then picking it up again. The kick will be taken from where she picked up the ball.

If your question is what happens when the keeper is punting and when she lets go of the ball to punt it, it is possibly just outside of the penalty area, then the standard answer is nothing. If the referee team isn't positive where she let go of the ball, we can't call anything - besides we are not required to call trifling or doubtful issues (thank goodness - there are enough issues out there that are neither that need our attention). We will warn the keeper to watch her line and leave it at that, unless the next time we are sure she stepped out with the ball in her hands. Then and only then, might we award a DFK where she stepped out.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

There are 4 specific indfk infractions based on a keeper's illegal use of hands within his own penalty area.
There are two of those four indfk infractions that MIGHT apply to your situation as in,
(How did the ball outside the penalty area initially get there?)
Was it
(a)a result of a team mate's deliberate kick to their keeper or
(b)a team mate's direct throw -in to their keeper?

If the ball was outside the penalty area and did not arrive there by the above two methods the keeper is free to dribble the ball into his area! The keeper can dribble the ball in and out of his own penalty area for as long as the opposition permit him that luxery but if or when he chooses his 6 second option of using his hands within his penalty area. No opponent can challange this possession once the hands come into contact with the ball.


So to restate
It is NOT illegal for a keeper to dribble the ball into his area!

The keeper can go outside his PA and retrieve the ball using his feet/body to redirect or dribble the ball back into his PA with NO handling restrictions in place;

(1)If the ball arrives outside the PA from a DEFLECTION off the foot of a team-mate it is NOT a DELIBERATE KICK the keeper has NO restriction of the hands!
(2)If the ball arrives outside the PA having last been touched/played by an OPPONENT the keeper has NO restriction of the hands.
(3) If a team-mate passes the ball with any legal body (no deliberate kick or use of the hands) as in a headed or chested ball the keeper has NO restriction of the hands

Of course any deliberate use of the hands on the ball OUTSIDE the keeper's PA is a DFK offence.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

1. If by handball you actually mean deliberately handling the ball, inside the penalty area there is no such thing as a keeper handball.
2. Where in the LOTG do you find that the keeper may not dribble the ball into his penalty area and then not be allowed to handle it? This is only true if the ball had been thrown-in or deliberately kicked to him by a teammate.
3.NFHS and LOTG are in agreement on this