Question Number: 32671

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/27/2018

RE: Rec High School

Tim Bannon of Chicago , Illinois USA asks...

Two goalie punt scenarios, both happened in one game.
Goalie punts ball, straight up into the air, and catches his own punt. Is that a violation. Seems as it it should be but cant determine what rules was violated.
In second incident, again same game oddly enough; he punts ball straight up, it bounces in front of him and he then grabs it. Same ruling?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Tim,
When the goalie punted the ball, he released it from his hands.

The law says that:

''An indirect free kick is awarded if a goalkeeper, inside their penalty area, [...]
touches the ball with the hands after: releasing it and before it has touched another player''

This provision applies in both the scenarios you describe.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Tim,
technically upon punting the ball he has released the ball back into play and has touched it a second time with his HANDS BEFORE any other player has had a chance to play that ball, it is an INDFK for a restricted handling violation. He can kick it again, he can head it, he just can not reuse his hands after he has had his 6 seconds of possession then put the ball back into active play. Now in the 6 seconds of possession he can bounce it and we MIGHT consider a mishandle a type of bounce but from your description it pretty much a lock on an INDFK from the point of the regrab inside the PA subject to the restriction of the 6 yard goal area. If he used his hands outside the PA on that ball it is a DFK and possible cards come into play.

WE could cut some slack on a bobble drop within a 6 seconds of possession but there is no rewards for a mistake in soccer.

I had a young keeper toss the ball up and took a mighty kick but slipped missed the ball, he fell , the ball bounced and he grabbed it got back up and tried again with greater success . Given he was (A) young (B) he is allowed to bounce the ball during the 6 seconds ( the LOTG do not say how a ball is to be bounced though most use a basket ball style) (C) he never touched the ball with his foot & (D) no opponent was disadvantaged in they were right there to intercept & thwarted. I saw no reason to punish him with an INDFK or award the opposition a scoring chance from essentially nothing.

PS added in the below scenario where my colleague shows this clip as an interesting situation I was DEAD set against the referee decision and felt it contrary to spirit and under no such circumstances would I have disallowed the blue goal to return to that INDFK restart that resulted in an opposition goal based on everything I saw, know or feel about the LOTG. The use of the VAR in this incident was in my opinion dead wrong! If and its it is a decision I do not agree with but IF CR had immediately signaled the INDFK even IF I disagree it WAS I could at least agree to disagree and move on but given how it occurred it leaves a vey poor taste! But then my opinion counts for very little! sigh
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Tim
A punt would be a release of possession and as such there is a restriction on the goalkeeper touching the ball with his hands until it has been touched by an opponent or played to the goalkeeper by a team mate in a way that allows him to use his hands such as a header, chest etc.
So in both instances it would be an IDFK from where he touched the ball with his hands.
Generally these happen as an error at lower age groups. Some Referees find a way to ignore such matters such as deeming it bouncing or throwing in the air both of which are allowed in both FIFA and NFHS. In the past I have deemed slips of the ball as a bounce and allowed play to continue. On a punt with a foot used I may find it more difficult. Interestingly in Gaelic Football one of the skills is soloing with the ball which is a foot to hand action while running without the ball touching the ground. A player cannot have the ball in his hand for more then 4 strides. On one occasion I witnessed a goalkeeper who plays both codes soloing the ball as he ran out to punt. There were appeals for an IDFK which I did not heed as I felt it was not release of possession. I did warn the GK later that such action could be deemed release of possession and not to use that particularly skill in soccer,
Have a look at the incident here at 1.50ish
https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-07-31-mls-homegrown-team-vs-tigres-uanl-u20/recap
On review this was deemed release of possession and an IDFK.
I thought it was harsh yet that was ruled as rekease rather than a bounce.