Question Number: 26815

Law 16 - Goal Kick 9/23/2012

RE: COMPETITIVE Under 15

Tye of Vancouver, B.C. Canada asks...

looking for clarification on how am infringement of a goal kick rule would occur

According to FIFA lAWS OF THE game, the ball is not in play from a goal kick until it has been kicked directly out of the penalty area (PA). This appears to apply to whom ever takes the kick from the defending team.

Under infringements it states that after the ball is in play, a keeper can be penalized for handling the ball again before it touches another player and that it would be a direct kick if it happened inside the PA.

In order for the keeper to handle the ball a second time in the PA, the ball would have to leave the PA to be live, and then come back in. To come back in it would seem that it would have to touch another player.

I guess I have two questions. First am I correct in understanding that a ball is not in play from a goal kick until it has been kicked directly out of the PA by either defender or keeper? and second how can a keeper handle a ball for a second time with out the ball first touching another player when the ball must leave the PA to be live and then must come back in in order to be handle a second time. Thx

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Tye,

You are correct that the ball is not in play until it leaves the PA. This means that if, hypothetically, a player took a goal kick, but it was a slow pass and elsewhere on the field a player punched another, you'd be retaking the goal kick. It also means that if it goes directly out without entering the FOP first, then it's a retake.

However, you mentioned: ' a keeper can be penalized for handling the ball again before it touches another player and that it would be a direct kick if it happened inside the PA. '

This is incorrect. It can never be a penalty kick for the keeper handling the ball inside the PA. If a defender handled the ball inside the PA it would be a penalty kick, if it was the keeper who did it after taking the kick it would simply be an IFK.

As to your question of 'how can this possible happen'?

Well, it's extremely unlikely, but I have seen a video of a goal kick that was taken into the wind that left the PA but was blown back in. Another possibility is that the referee is just outside the PA (say, he's moving up the field), the GK is taken quickly, strikes the referee then bounces back into the PA.

Those are about the only 2 possibilities I can think of. As I said, it's extremely unlikely for this sort of scenario to occur - but of course, it's always important we know how to handle those 'once in a blue moon' scenarios.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Tye
On your two questions the answers are
1. You are indeed correct that the ball is not in play until it has left the penalty area on a goal kick or for that matter on any kicked restart inside the penalty area.
2. It would be a very rare event where the goalkeeper on a goal kick has been able to touch the ball with his hand/s inside the penalty area without it touching another player and for the ball to be put into play. As Referee Wright states there are only two possibilities. One is where the ball is blown back into the penalty area and the second is where the ball hits the referee standing outside the penalty area with the ball going back into the area.
As regards your comment that the goalkeeper handling the ball inside the penalty area that it would be a direct free kick? I assume that you meant 'outside' of the penalty area as per page 49 of the Laws of the Game. If the offence by the goalkeeper happened inside the penalty area it can only be an indirect free kick. If it was a defender it would be a penalty kick again assuming the ball was in play correctly.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You need to re-read Law 16. A DFK or PK can NEVER be awarded for any keeper handling violation inside his own penalty area. Only IDFKs may be given. Outside his PA, he's like any other player

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

See Question: 26826

See Question: 26846