Question Number: 30304

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/16/2016

RE: Rec Adult

Alan Sherry of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

Hi

I'm an outfield player. I took a goal kick this morning and kicked the ball to just outside the penalty area where my keeper kicked it back into the area and then picked it up. I believe this is perfectly legal as it's not a back pass - it's a goal kick - but I cant find the evidence to back it up. Can you help me?

Thanks
Al

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your question. There are only 2 questions which need to be asked here:

Did you deliberately kick the ball to the keeper or in a space for him to run onto?
Did he handle the ball before it touched any other person?

If the answer to both of those questions is 'yes', then it's an offence.

The relevant part is under Law 12:
'An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his
own penalty area, commits any of the following four offences:
...touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him
by a team-mate'
As it's a kick that puts a goal kick into play, it fits into that part of the law. The fact that it's a restart doesn't change the scenario - otherwise you'd be able to kick it to your own keeper for him to pick up at a free kick as well.

Similarly, no exemption is made for where the keeper first receives the ball, or if he dribbles it around for a bit first. The ball was deliberately kicked to him by a teammate and he handled it - those are the only facts that matter.

Sounds like the referee got this one right!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Alan
First off the misnomer of backpass has been unhelpful in the game since it was first used. The direction of the kick is irrelevant. It is like the use of last man which is another unhelpful term.
Anyway the goalkeeper is prevented from touching the ball with his hands when it has been deliberately kicked / thrown to the goalkeeper by a team mate which includes ANY restart and also the kick can be in any direction.
So in this instance the referee was 100% correct in his decision in that the ball was deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team mate and as such the moment he touched the ball with his hands inside the penalty area that was an offence punished by an IDFK from where the touch of the hand occurred. It makes no difference where the ball is received by the goalkeeper which can be inside or outside the penalty area. The Law is to prevent the GK getting the ball into his hands from a deliberate kick / throw by a team mate in ALL instances. Exception are headers, chest, knee etc on a ball in open play or from a touch / play by an opponent.
In addition to the Law 12 quote by Referee Wright this is what the advice at the rear of the law book states
** A goalkeeper is not permitted to touch the ball with his hand inside his own penalty area in the following circumstances:
# if he handles the ball again after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player: – the goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hands or arms except if the ball rebounds accidentally from him, e.g. after he has made a save– possession of the ball includes the goalkeeper deliberately parrying the ball
# if he touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate
# if he touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate**
In addition that the section of the law books tells us that and I quote
** There are different circumstances when a player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour, e.g. if a player: ......uses a deliberate trick to pass the ball to his own goalkeeper to circumvent the Law while he is taking a free kick (after the player is cautioned, the free kick must be retaken)** Note how the restriction applies to a free kick.
As the Laws do not spell out every single eventuality we know that the restriction applies at any restart where it is possible such as a goal kick, corner kick, free kick, throw in and from 1st June a kick off as from then the ball can be kicked in any direction.
No doubt you told the referee he was wrong and that he did not know the Laws LOL
Please share this info with your goalkeeper as he should know more than anyone. If he kicked the ball away rather than picking the ball up there would not have been any offence.