Question Number: 30095

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/9/2016

RE: Youth to adult, comp and rec.

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30093

I took the question to be: if the keeper is standing off the field, either in the goal mouth or stepped off the field beside the goal.

Either way, he is still able to use his hands stretched INSIDE the penalty area, to control the ball.

Similarly, a player could be standing outside the field of play but still make lawful contact with a ball that was in play, by reaching out a toe or knee, for example.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Barry,
yes the ball not the keeper location allows use of the hands hopefully by now that is abundantly clear!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
The panel did its best to answer what it thought was the question. As in other questions the position of the ball is what is important and in the case of handling the position of the hand/s. As you say a player can be off the field of play yet reach in to handle a ball that is still in play on the field. The same would apply to the penalty area. The goalkeeper could be fully outside the area yet he could reach with a hand to touch the ball inside the area and that would not be an offence.