Question Number: 32439

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/9/2018

RE: Youth to adult, comp and rec.

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 32429

A few years ago, a defender on our team was involved in a goal-mouth scramble. Somehow, he fell onto his backside on the goal line, just as the shot came and was lodged between his knees.

In the confusion, he figured he should roll over and release the ball. When he did, the opposition knocked it into the net.

I later asked the ref if our keeper had been close enough to quickly pull the ball from between our defender's knees, or get a hand on it, would that have been fine?

We know a defender is not to trap the ball with the foot, for the keeper to pick up. Our defender wasn't involving his feet.

The ref opined that it would have been legal. I suspect timing is everything. It would have to be an immediate play by the keeper.

If not immediate, I expect a drop ball between both teams would be in order. No?

To clarify: if a drop ball is in the goal box, would it need to be on the 6 yard line, vertical to where the stoppage occurred?

Thanks again!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
Easy part is the location of the dropped ball. It is on the 6 yard line directly opposite and nearest from where the ball was when play was stopped.
As to the goalkeeper grabbing the ball or putting his hand on it there is no issue about that happening. In fact my experience is that goalkeepers will dive on the ball in such circumstances. It is not a deliberate kick so no possible IDFK. I be,uneven it would not even be considered certainly not in this part of the world.
As you say timing is everything and the trick is to wait long enough to see if the matter resolves itself and at the same time not long enough that a player gets kicked particularly when he is trying to move away from the ball.
At younger age group I would stop the game quickly as the players may not know what to do or how to extract himself from the situation safely.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Barry,
In the situation you describe, this would not count as a ball deliberately kicked (i.e. propelled with the foot) to the goalkeeper by a team mate, so the keeper would be free to use the hands to contact the ball.

If the ball was not immediately released and/or not immediately grabbed by the keeper and the referee felt it necessary to stop play then I think the answer would be similar to the reference question 32429 and could be either a dropped ball or an IDFK for playing in a dangerous manner, depending on how the referee saw the incident.

In either case, the restart would be on the goal area line which is parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the ball was when play was stopped.