Question Number: 30762

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/14/2016

RE: Adult

Lawrence M. Timothy of Budd Lake, New Jersey United States asks...

A goalie bounce the ball, did not see the opponent behind him, as the ball touch the ground the opponent takes the ball and scored.
Is that a no goal and a foul on the opponent?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Lawrence
The goalkeeper is deemed to be in control of the ball when throwing it up, holding it in an open hand or against the body or ground and while bouncing it. When in control of the ball the goalkeeper may not be challenged. As described it is an offence punished by an indirect free kick.
At higher levels many referees will caution for this as they expect the player to know that a challenge in such circumstances is not allowed.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

While it is true, as Ref McHugh points out, that this will often result in a caution as well, it is perhaps worth mentioning that the Law only requires a mandatory caution for preventing a goalkeeper from releasing the ball if the action causes a risk of injury.

This has been an offence for as long as I can remember, apart from a very short period of time (just a single season in fact, in 2004-5) when the FIFA Q&A's stated for some inexplicable reason that it was permissible, so long as it was done in way that was not dangerous. In the same Q&A, they also opined that it was OK to head the ball out of the keeper's open hand.

Fortunately, they quickly thought better of this and reversed their opinion the following year, perhaps because they realised this would only open up the way to increasing amounts of challenges on goalkeepers holding or bouncing the ball, with all the attendant dangers that would then ensue.