Question Number: 32444

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/11/2018

RE: Competitive first year Under 10

Mike of Montreal , Qc Canada asks...

Pass back rule:
Defender controls ball with foot in PA, keeper picks up ball with hands. No passing motion but control of the ball with foot is well established. IFK to opposing team or play on? I understand at this age a warning would suffice, but would like to know the correct call. Thank you

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Mike,
as a band bang play like a save in the goal mouth where the keeper is diving as the team mate foot stops the ball is play on but in how you described it is an INDFK for illegal use of hands. Warnings are fine if in teaching mode for wee ones but once they move up into but 11 aside competitive they need to be learn action have consequences.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Mike,
For me this could go either way and it's a refereeing judgement call as to whether you think it was a deliberate kick to the keeper or not. At U-10 I'd be surprised that a defender would be savvy enough to do this as a deliberate ploy. It would depend on the exact scenario of course but unless the defender did something really overt to indicate that they were deliberately using the foot to give the ball to their keeper, I'd be inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt here. The older the players, the less leeway they should be afforded, in my opinion.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
The strength and direction of the deliberate kick is not spelt out in the Laws. The kick can be control, a dribble, a foot stop, a pass of inches etc all deliberate kicks which are done to pass the ball to the goalkeeper or to a place where the goalkeeper can pick the ball up. That is an offence punished by an IDFK when the goalkeeper uses his hands.
Now there will be other times such as trying to tackle an opponent, a scramble inside the penalty area when it is not deemed to be a deliberate kick to the GK yet rather a save, a tackle etc. We need to look for the deliberate breaches rather than doubtful or trifling ones.
So as described it is an IDFK offence yet probably not done intentionally. Referees are not mind readers yet at U10 we can probably assume it was not intentional or considered as a deliberate kick by the goalkeeper. I know in our Underage games the rule is not enforced until it gets to the full sided competitive games with all laws in force. So I agree a warning perhaps at the next stoppage is the correct call. Probably the greater learning tool is the IDFK. The young GK will remember that on similar situations rather than advice. Lol

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 35208