Question Number: 23883

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/7/2010

RE: Premier Under 16

Jeff Gillette of Palmyra, PA USA asks...

If a Goalkeeper crosses out of Penalty area while punting a ball and a Hand ball is called....is this a Direct or Indirect Kick? Thank you

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Coach: once the goal keeper leaves the penalty area, the foul is handling - - just like any other field player. The restart is a direct free kick where the ball was handled.

When the keeper is punting the ball, any infringement is likely to be doubtful or trifling and can be ignored. A warning to the keeper to 'watch the line' will suffice. It rarely needs to be called as a foul.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jeff
It is a direct free kick for deliberate handling of the ball which is the same for all players. In general though on a punt it is always a trifling call and in most situations it rarely needs to be called. A quiet word with the GK to mind the line is all that is required. I recall seeing one of these given against a team in the English Premier League. It was shown on the replay that the ball was in fact released inside the PA and kicked some two steps outside the penalty area. The AR got the call wrong and it was a call that was not needed in the game.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Jeff, there are ten fouls which are punishable by a DFK or PK. Deliberately handling the ball is one of them. The call was deliberately handling the ball so it is a DFK.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It depends on the view of the referee and the AR. If the referee or AR is 100% certain the keeper took the ball out of the penalty area with his hands STILL ON THE BALL, there is now a decision to be made. Was it an honest mistake by the keeper? Was it a question of inches or feet or yards? What was the result of the keeper's action on play?

The farther out of the PA the keeper goes, the less the chance that it can be termed trifling. If there is any uncertainty as to when or where the keeper LET GO OF THE BALL, then the infraction, if any, is at most doubtful and should not be called. Those are relatively easy.

The hard part comes when there is the gray area where the ref or AR is pretty sure the keeper left the PA with the ball in the hands, but not by much at all, and unless there is an opponent standing right there, the chances are excellent that this should be deemed a trifling offense. At most the referee or AR should advise the keeper to watch the line.

Newer or less experienced referees will want to call every infraction of the Laws, but the Laws were not designed with that end in mind. We are supposed to call what is needed to keep the game safe, fun and running smoothly.

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

See Question: 23929