Question Number: 24744

Law 16 - Goal Kick 3/28/2011

RE: Grade 8 Adult

Davis Parker of Houston, TX Harris asks...

This question is a follow up to question 24305

Law 16 states that 'The ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area.'

It also states that 'If, after the ball is in play, the goalkeeper deliberatly handles the ball before it has touched another player: an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if the infringement occurred inside the goalkeeper penalty area.'

These two statements seem to be in conflict. If the ball is not in play until it leaves the penalty area then how can you award a IFK. Can you help clear it up for me?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sure:
1. the ball leaves the penalty area (in play), hits the referee and bounces back into the penalty area. If the keeper handles it, IDFK.
2. Ball leaves the penalty area, the wind carries it back into the penalty area, if the keeper handles it, IDFK

If the keeper handles it BEFORE it leaves the penalty area, retake the goal kick.

Also, note that this is true for Law 13 also

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Davis
There are two situations where the ball is in play from a goal kick and the ball does not touch another player. These include the ball hitting the referee outside the penalty area or in a very windy game where the ball also re-enters the penalty area without touching another player. These rarely happen in games yet the Laws provide a remedy and there is no conflict.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Look at it this way - if the ball leaves the PA on the first kick, it is in play. If the wind blows it back into the PA, and the keeper picks it up with her hands, then the keeper has touched it again - a second touch offense. The penalty for that is always an IDFK where the 2nd touch took place (unless in the goal area in which case it moves out to the top of the goal area line).

If the ball leaves the PA, it is now in play. If it hits the referee, it is as if it has hit the ground and spun back into the PA. If the keeper picks it up with the hands, we're back to 2nd touch violation.

If the ball never leaves the PA, then we have to retake the kick, as the ball was never in play, and since it was not in play, there is no restriction against touching it with the hands, unless that somehow became a time wasting issue - highly unlikely - would require more than once or twice in sequence.