Question Number: 31919

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/18/2017

RE: rec select Under 15

gary of nashua, nh usa asks...

Both the gk (with hands) and opponent (with feet)make contact with the ball at the same time (ball is on the ground), would this be a legal challenge or would gks team get a free kick?Basically, what defines gk control?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Gary
Goal keeper control is set out in the Laws of the Game and I quote
**A goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball when:
# the ball is between the hands or between the hand and any surface (e.g. ground, own body) or by touching it with any part of the hands or arms except if the ball rebounds accidentally from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper has made a save
# holding the ball in the outstretched open hand
# bouncing it on the ground or throwing it in the air**
Now it can be a difficult call to determine if the goalkeeper gets a hand on the ball before it is kicked by an opponent or if it is the other way round or indeed if the hand is still remains on the ball at the moment of the kick. Many times the attacker may have his foot raised or cleats showing when trying to play the ball in these type if circumstances so the foul will be on the attacker.
I also believe that many referees will err on the side of the goalkeeper if a hand on the ball even if it unclear if the hand remains on the ball or it spills loose. That is a sfety concern and certainly at younger age levels the referee will have safety as his key priority. Unless it looks certain that the GK does not have a hand on the ball I would opine anything else as control.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Gary,
The full wording on what constitutes goalkeeper control of the ball has been given by ref McHugh so the question becomes whether the keeper has established control before the attacker touches the ball or vice versa. As is often said in relation to simultaneous offences, it is rare for events to be truly simultaneous as one will almost always occur at least momentarily before the other and so the referee should try to make a decision based on what occurred first. However I also agree with him that it is likely (if not preferable) that most referees would err on the side of caution and protecting the keeper would probably be the overriding concern.