Question Number: 22230

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/13/2009

RE: NFHS High School

Tim Mann of Akron, OH USA asks...

This is not so much as an application of law question, as it is a historical one.

Situation: High School JV boys game, two-man system. On the far end from me the ball is in play inside of the penalty area. The keeper comes out and gets a hand on the ball, and is then challenged by an attacking player. The other referee blew the whistle for the challenge since the keeper had possession of the ball with his hands. (Up to this point there is no question.) The coach nearest me (of the attacking team of course) begins yelling that his attacker has just as much right to the ball in the penalty area as the goalkeeper. He then went on to say that in the 'goal box' the keeper has special privileges and cannot be challenged, but he can inside the rest of the penalty area. I told him that was a myth, and that the keeper's special privileges including legally handling, and not being challenged while doing so exist within the entire penalty area. Now, I know I was correct, but was there ever a point in time where the area enclosed by the 6 yard line was there for more than a place to take goal kicks or to move back free kicks on the goal? Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Back in the 1996 pre-condensed Laws of the Game we find this indirect free kick offense:
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4. charging the goalkeeper except when he
a. is holding the ball;
b. is obstructing an opponent;
c. has passed outside his goal−area.
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Note that it doesn't say a, b *or* c. Nor does it say a, b *and* c. I'm not sure which conjunction was used. I know way long ago it was considered great fun to charge a goalkeeper holding the ball and force him across the line into the goal.

But that 1996 reference was the last time the goal area counted for anything other than the placement of kicks.

I have no idea if any of this applied to HS rules.

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

See Question: 22385