Question Number: 30873

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/8/2016

Brian of Brooklyn, Ny 11232 asks...

On a throw-in...

A player throws in to his goalie who receives the ball at his feet outside his box.The 'keeper then dribbles back to his box and picks it up.

Question-is there an infringement and if so what is the correct restart please?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Brian
Yes there is an infringement of the goalkeeper touching the ball with his hands after the ball has been thrown to him by a team mate. The restart is an IDFK from where the GK touched the ball with his hand/s.
It makes no difference that the ball was dribbled first or that the ball was received outside the penalty area. The restriction remains in place until the ball touches an a opponent or the ball is played in a way that it can be touched with the hand/s such as a header, chest of a team mate etc.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Brian,
It doesn't matter where the keeper receives the ball or what they do with it between receiving it and handling it - it's a simple question of whether they handled the ball in their PA after receiving it directly from a teammate's TI or a deliberate kick to the keeper (these include into space for the keeper to receive) from a teammate.

Where they received the ball, how much they ran around with the ball - all that's irrelevant. Only another player's touch can reset this.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Brian,
there is NO offence until the keeper has UNWISELY decided to use his hands. The keeper has 4 handling restrictions within his own penalty area . One of which is using the hands to control a ball throw in directly to him by a team mate . Given the keeper has no restrictions on the use of his other body parts he commits no offence until his hands touch the ball.
cheers