Question Number: 27347

Law 16 - Goal Kick 4/23/2013

RE: competitive Adult

matt moss of cairns, qld austalia asks...

So i am a goal keeper, and recently i scuffed a goal kick..it just cleared my 18 yrd line. Fearing an instant attack I sprinted to the ball now well out of the box and cleared it again. The ref then awarded a free kick to the opposition!!?! Now the rules state the only thing that has to happen is the ball is place anywhere on the 6 yrd line and the kick has to clear the 18 yrd line. It makes o metion that another outfeild player has to touch it before the keeper can be in play again... is the correct?

thanks for your time

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Matt
You have not read Law 16 of the Laws of the Game.
The referee was 100% correct to penalise the 'double touch' offence here with the award of the IDFK from where the ball was touched a 2nd time. Had the ball been touched before it left the penalty area the goal kick would have been retaken as the ball is not in play until it leaves the penalty area.
To quote the relevant part of the Law
'' If, after the ball is in play, the goalkeeper touches the ball again (except with his hands) before it has touched another player:
# an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred (see Law 13 ? Position of free kick)''
I would also say that it is principle of the Law in ALL restart in that a player cannot touch the ball again until the ball has been touched by another player, be it a team mate or an opponent. The goalkick is no different from a free kick, corner kick, throw in, kick off, penalty kick and kick off. The double touch is a technical infringement punished by an IDFK.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Matt,

Law 16 has a few more items in it than you think!

It also discusses the position of the opponents, and what to do for several infringements. There's more to it than you think! As my colleague pointed out, it does state that you can't touch the ball again.

At any restart taken by a player, that player cannot touch the ball again until it has been touched by another player.

The referee's actions were correct. .

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No it is not correct. Law 16 states the taker of a goal kick may not play the ball a second time after it is in play before it touches another player. This is true of all restarts.