Question Number: 29163

Law 16 - Goal Kick 2/9/2015

RE: Rec , advanced Adult

Michael Esparza of Huntington beach, California Orange asks...

The ball has gone out of play for a goal kick. the goalkeeper places the ball on left lets go and then decides to pick it up and move it to the other side . the referee gives the keeper a yellow card and an indirect free kick . now i know there are only four instances that this can happen the second says that a keeper cannot touch the ball again after he releases it from his possesion . i would assume that this only takes place if the ball is still in play?

is this the case if the ball has not been put back into play?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Michael,
you are spot on!
The match is now protestable!
Referee needs a refresher course in law dynamics and understanding

It is 100% against the LOTG for a referee to award an INDFK against the keeper for his actions.

It is 100% correct under the LOTG to assume the referee could caution and show a yellow card as the actions as you describe, could be, in the opinion of the referee considered as a form of USB misconduct and cautionable.

When a GOAL kick is awarded, the ball must be placed anywhere within the goal area and kicked completely clear of the PA boundary lines to be in play.

Spotting of the ball by the keeper occurs BEFORE the ball is actually in play!
There is no 2nd touch violation, THE BALL IS NOT IN PLAY!

The referee could hold the opinion the keeper's actions in moving the ball, DELAYED THE RESTART OF PLAY by wasting time and as such is, cautionable,. To ensure the keeper is punished according to the nature of the MISCONDUCT, the referee by the LOTG MUST show the yellow card BEFORE he allows the restart to continue.

Where the referee lost it was he altered the goal kick restart into an incorrect restart sequence by awarding an INDFK for the opposition when the restart must STILL BE A GOAL KICK!

Hopefully the referee gets a a heads up before taking the whistle out to play for the next time!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Michael
The referee would be entitled to caution the goalkeeper for delaying the restart of play if that what the goalkeepers motives were in moving the ball. The restart though does not change as it is still a goal kick. IN addition the ball is not in play until it leaves the penalty area so there cannot be any foul until that happens. The award of an IDFK here is a serious error and one that the referee should be advised of. The ball is not in play so the restart CANNOT change.
Personally I would warn the goalkeeper about his actions before dealing with it by way of a caution. Also at underage young players might forget instructions given by coaches about goal kicks and then decide to change side to follow the instruction. A word with the GKs may suffice and for me only a repeat gets dealt with more harshly