Question Number: 32007

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/7/2017

RE: Adult

Muhammad Rizwan of Abbottabad, Abbottabad Pakistan asks...

R/Sir, if a goalkeeper handles the ball comes from the defender but he not fully grabbed it just stop it with his hand and dropped the ball and start playing with his feet but when a defender comes near to him he just picked the ball in his hand.. is it okay? or IDFK? thanks in advanced.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Muhammad,
based on your description NO it is not ok!
Either the ball was deliberately kicked by a teammate and that initial handling is an INDFK or the act was not deliberate but considered as a 'parry', a combination (controlled possession & release ) of the ball an all in one move by the keeper on a ball that was easily catchable. Generally we see the "parry" more often with the opposition shooting the ball but a deflection or miskick by a team mate could apply.
We certainly do give some leeway on a difficult save that it knocked down and latter picked up but your description sounds as if this ball was an easy catch or pick up thus the use of the hands collimating in an immediate release means the keeper has no more 6 seconds of possession and the use of his hands a 2nd time is in fact an INDFK subject to the special circumstances inside the goal area.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Muhammad,
As I see it there are two possible offences here. Firstly, if the ball that comes from the defender was deliberately kicked to the keeper by that team mate, then we have an indirect free kick offence straight away.

Then there is the potential 'double handling' offence of a keeper using the hands, releasing the ball and then using the hands again before another player has touched the ball. This is an offence unless the first touch by the keeper with the hands was a save or accidental rebound. So if the ball was played in a forceful enough manner that the keeper was not able to hold on to it, it would be OK to let them use the hands a second time. On the other hand, if the keeper has simply chosen not to hold on to a slowly-moving ball that was easily controllable and then picks it up again, that would be an offence.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Muhammad
The Laws at one time mentioned a parry by a goalkeeper which is a catch and release in the same action. The Law up until 2014 stated **possession of the ball includes the goalkeeper deliberately parrying the ball** When a goalkeeper catches the ball and releases it to the ground from his possession he may not pick the ball up again until it has been played by an opponent or by a team mate in a way that allows it such as a header, chest etc.
I watched two games recently. One in the Irish league and the other in the MLS. Both games had a clear goalkeeper parry. In the MLS one the goalkeeper was punished by an IDFK whereas in the Irish League one it was ignored.
So it is not uniformly called and it is not referred to specifically anymore in the Laws. Some can argue that the fine line between a save and parry is difficult to judge so the benefit should go more to the save where it is not done in a way to use up time.