Question Number: 30034

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/20/2016

RE: Select Under 14

Brad of Plymouth, Michigan United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30030

In the example given, would this not also be a caution to the keeper for using a trick to circumvent the rule? Law 12 notes a caution for a teammate, but that section starts with 'e.g.', which suggests to me that perhaps the goalie is not exempt. I doubt I'll ever see this, but if I did I'd be inclined to caution the GK in addition to the IFK. Thoughts?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Brad,
NO please do not be so inclined the keeper is not to be cautioned for using his hands inside his PA simply for picking the ball up after he does not initially Remember it the player who tries to remove the restriction by getting cute.
Once the handling restriction is in place nothing will change it until a new touch by the opposition, a rebound off a team mate or a new pass to the keeper that is not a deliberate kick by the team mate or the ball goes out of play.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Brad
It is a free kick only and the goalkeeper has just committed a technical infringement by using his hands inside the penalty area. It is not circumvention. The Laws inform us that the goalkeeper CANNOT be cautioned for using his hands inside the penalty area so even say if the goalkeeper stopped a goal from a deliberate kick from a team mate with his hands it is an IDFK only.
Page 119 Laws of the Game
*Outside his own penalty area, the goalkeeper has the same restrictions on handling the ball as any other player. Inside his own penalty area, the goalkeeper cannot be guilty of a handling offence incurring a direct free kick or any misconduct related to handling the ball.*
The genesis of this was that the lawmakers did want to stop the goalkeeper using his hands on deliberate kicks to him by a team mate yet not sanction him further such as with a caution or sending off for doing what he has to do which is using his hands inside the penalty area. If the goalkeeper chooses to do so illegally for whatever reason it is an indirect free kick only.
BTW circumvention does not require the goalkeeper to use his hands. It is the act of circumvention that is punished with a caution and the restart is an indirect free kick from where the circumvention took place. Very rare offence now.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Brad,

Circumventing the Laws of the Game requires exploiting a loophole. A defender flicking the ball up to his (or a teammate's) head for the purpose of heading the ball back to the keeper is exploiting the loophole because the last touch from a teammate before the keeper handles it is then from a head, not a foot.
In the original question where a keeper chests it before handling it, the last touch is still from the defender's foot. The way the law is written, nothing the keeper can do by himself with the ball can negate that. Therefore, there's no attempt to 'get around' the law - the law is simply broken. No different to trapping the ball, dribbling it around the PA then picking it up, which happens.
Don't worry too much about the cirvumvention law - it's extremely unlikely to occur, and there are very few scenarios where it fits. It's good to be aware of it, but don't go looking for it.