Question Number: 31474

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/22/2017

RE: select Under 15

jorge of Cedar Ridge, CA United States asks...

penalty for goalie crossing 18 yard line with ball before he kicks it

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Jorge,
If you mean that the goalkeeper has done this with the ball in the hands and if the referee is 100% sure that the goalkeeper has done this as part of a deliberate act in handling the ball outside the penalty area then this would be a direct free kick to the opposition.

The referee needs to be sure though - it is common for goalkeepers to run towards the edge of the area with the ball in the hands, throw it up and then kick it when the ball is outside the area. When this happens, it can be quite easy to think that the keeper must have crossed the line while still holding the ball when in fact this is not the case. More than one referee (and/or AR) has made this mistake and ended up seriously embarrassed when the slow-motion replays of the incident have shown that no offence had occurred.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jorge
If the goalkeeper carries the ball outside the penalty area in his hands or catches the ball that is coming into the area outside the line then that is deliberate handling punished by a direct free kick.
The line forms part of the penalty area so all of the ball has to be over all of the line to be outside.
Now the challenge for the referee will be determining the position of the ball and the goalkeepers hands
I always mention watching an EPL game involving Liverpool and an AR flagged for this offence of the GK carrying the ball out over the line. Action replay and freeze frame showed that the AR had in fact got it wrong in that the ball was released inside the penalty area here is the video of the incident
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V74UI8Ca4lA&feature=youtu.be&t=28s
Here is a goalkeeping video that I refer to in such instances.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWDMOFxEQuk
Has the goalkeeper touched the ball with the hand here outside the penalty area line on the punt? At pace the step outside could end up as two / three steps. MIght look like outside yet is it?
Have a look at this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMoyHbq8XKE&t=5m1s
White goalkeeper I believe handles the ball outside the penalty area? It was not spotted and it would have a very difficult call onfield call. From what we seen on video the ball was outside the area. Yet if the referee crew is not 100% certain it should not be given.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Jorge,
ANY deliberate handling of the ball when it is completely outside the Penalty area is a DFK offence if it is awarded. The point here though is it necessary or true?
If it IS necessary and a keeper is so obtuse & careless to carry the ball completely outside his PA while holding on to it the DFK occurs JUST a hair outside the boundary line at the point the ball actually exited the PA no matter where else the release point was.
There are three MAIN considerations!:
(1) IS it trifling? The fact that the ball CANNOT Be challenged for, this is in fact a release of the ball back into active play
(2) IS it doubtful? The fact is as keepers run forward they often spin drop the ball way out a head of themselves and wind up kicking a ball well outside the PA because the opposition is no where in sight
(3) IS it necessary? We are not in the habit of rewarding a mistake. Yet a match is to played with as little interference on our part that we can permit!
This call is going to be made by the AR it is HIGHLY improbable for a CR by the very nature of the respective positioning on the FOP!
As CR I instruct my ARs to discount any such violations unless they are egregious on a RELEASE of a ball already in their possession. As if they run to the top of the ARC forgetting it is not part of the PA.
A MUCH harsher view is imposed on a ball they seek to obtain possession of, where even the tiniest of distance outside the PA is going to be called!
Cheers