Question Number: 26303

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/7/2012

RE: USSF Competitive Under 19

John Schneider of La Mirada, CA United States asks...

I'd appreciate some clarification on the interpretation of passback to the keeper. It seems there is a lot of confusion among referees about this law. A friend of mine and I have been doing some research and have come across what seems to be a discrepancy between the current LOTG and ATR and a position paper. Here's the details:

In Law 12 it states: "Keeper touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked TO him by a teammate."

The 2011/2012 Guide to Referees States in 12.20:

A goalkeeper infringes Law 12 if he or she touches the ball with the hands directly after it has been deliberately kicked to him or her by a teammate. The requirement that the ball be kicked means only that it has been played with the foot. The requirement that the ball be 'kicked to' the goalkeeper means only that the play is to or toward a place where the keeper can legally handle the ball. *** The requirement that the ball be 'deliberately kicked' means that the play on the ball is deliberate and does not include situations in which the ball has been, in the opinion of the referee, accidentally deflected or misdirected. ***

NOTE: (a) The goalkeeper is permitted to dribble into the penalty area and then pick up any ball played legally ***(not kicked deliberately to the goalkeeper or to a place where the goalkeeper can easily play it)*** by a teammate or played in any manner by an opponent. (b) Although this portion of the Law was written to help referees cope with time-wasting tactics, the central issue is unfairly withholding the ball from challenge.

A 2008 USSF position paper says:

The offense rests on three events occurring in the following sequence:
? The ball is kicked (played with the foot) by a teammate of the goalkeeper,
? This action is deemed to be deliberate rather than a deflection, and
? The goalkeeper handles the ball directly (no intervening touch of play of the ball by anyone else)

When, in the opinion of the referee, these three conditions are met, the violation has occurred. It is not necessary for the ball to be 'passed,' it is not necessary for the ball to go 'back,' and it is not necessary for the deliberate play by the teammate to be 'to' the goalkeeper.

To me, it seems there are obvious contradictions in the Guide to Referees and the position paper. I have denoted these with three-stars (***).

In the first example the guide says that accidentally OR misdirected balls should NOT be included in 'deliberately kicked'. The position paper says if the action is deliberate it must be called.

In the note it specifically says that it is only a violation if it is played to a place where the goalkeeper can easily play it. The position paper says it doesn't matter. If it is deliberately played it must be called.

The position paper is 2008. The guide to referees is 2011. Which document supersedes the other?

Here are three scenarios that a friend encountered in games that led to this discussion/research:

This year in a varsity high school game: A defender in his own penalty area looks at a teammate across the penalty area and passes the ball to the teammate. No opponent is near either player or the keeper. The keeper comes out and scoops up the ball and punts it away. I didn't call anything. In my opinion it was trivial and doubtful with no advantage lost or gained. Per position paper this is a violation. Per Guide to Referees could be called. Per an "ask the referee question" (same scenario) the referee said no call.

USSF Playoff game years ago. A defender tries to kick the ball out of play and he blasted it. It was miskicked and went toward the net. The keeper makes a spectacular save and the ball goes out of play over the end line. The referee (I was an A/R) awards an indirect free kick to the attacking team. Per Guide to Referees, no offense. Per position paper, violation.

A defender clearly kicking the ball out of the penalty area miskicks the ball and instead of going forward it goes behind them. An attacker is near the ball but the keeper beats them to the ball and picks up the ball.

I made no call. The Guide says miskicks should not be penalized. The position paper (and a senior referee colleague I know) says the act was deliberate and should be called because intent doesn't matter.

(It was this last incident that led to the discussion and my research that has prompted this question.) Thank you!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
In my opinion there is no confusion here nor should there be. The only question the referee has to ask is whether the ball was deliberately kicked by a team mate to the goalkeeper or a place where the goalkeeper can legally touch the ball. If the ball was miskicked, misdirected or deflected then there is no offence when the goalkeeper touches the ball with his hands.
In the USSF play off game scenario you describe the referee was incorrect to award the IDFK. The player misdirected the ball almost scoring an own goal so there was no offence when the goalkeeper saved the ball.
In the Varsity High school game the referee has to consider whether the ball was deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper. The referee in that situation can determine that it was and award the IDFK. There is sufficient doubt here about what was intended as the ball was not misdirected, miskicked or deflected so the GK was IMO taking a huge risk by touching the ball with his hands.
On your final situation the player has clearly miskicked the ball behind him so there was no offence when the goalkeeper touched the ball with his hands.
I would concede that 12.20 Note A is poorly constructed as what it is saying that if the ball is not deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team mate (mis directed, deflected, miskicked) or headed chested, kneed etc or by an opponent the goalkeeper can touch the ball with his hands after dribbling the ball inside the penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I don't see any difference between the 2008 paper and 2011 Advice. 2011 simply clarifies 2008. For example, in 2008 it stated, deflection. 2011 clarified this to also mean misdirected.
12.20 simply says a keeper may go outside his penalty area and gather any ball legally played there and dribble it back to his PA and pick it up. This means if he had received the ball inside his PA and was allowed to handle it, the same is true if the ball is taken from outside the PA and dribbled in.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It sounds as if your choice not to call an offense when the defender mis-kicked the ball was the intelligent choice. Generally, when there is a deliberate kick by a defender to a place where the keeper can get to it, most referees will see and deal with it appropriately. When there is any doubt, review quickly - was it deliberately kicked? If yes, but it is a poor kick - going the wrong way or off the side of the foot, etc., then it is not considered 'deliberate' in the sense of the offense - because a deliberate kick goes where it is supposed to - it's the rare defender who would risk miskicking a ball on purpose - what if the keeper didn't get to it?

Is the kick to somewhere the keeper can go get it? This includes areas just outside the PA where the keeper can dribble it back in - this is not an offense until the keeper uses the hands on the ball, obviously.

If these two definitely occurred - it was a deliberate kick to somewhere the keeper can reach it, the last and most important question is: Does the keeper now use his/her hands on the ball? Until the keeper does, there is NO offense.

Remember the purpose of the offense is to make sure the keeper does not unfairly keep the ball out of play.