Question Number: 32781

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/7/2018

RE: MRL Under 19

Christian L Casimir of kaukauna, WI United States asks...

I am a keeper. I made a save on a hard shot one on one. I got up with the ball and realized my sock and shin guard were askew. I sat the ball down to readjust it and picked it up...I was well within the 6 secs..The ref called a foul on me. I have done this in previous games for different reasons, adjusting gloves, sock, etc..The other team scored on penalty kick...then after game ref apologized to me for making the wrong call..Did he? I have always been taught that within the 6 secs I can set ball down and pick it back up as long as I didn't put it into play.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Christian,
It is not true that you can set the ball down and then pick it back up within the six seconds. You can hold the ball in your hands for six seconds but once you have released the ball from your hands you may not touch it again with the hands (even within the six seconds) until it has touched another player. However the correct decision in this situation should be an indirect free kick, not a penalty kick.

If the referee gave a penalty kick for this then that was an incorrect decision and that would be why he apologised to you later.

I suppose there could be some situations where the referee might let you away with releasing the ball then picking it up again but only in relatively exceptional circumstances where releasing the ball was forced on you by something outside your control (such as an injury) but not on a routine basis. There might also be some additional leeway for very young players, however that would not apply at U19 level.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Christian,
while the ONLY possible call would be an INDFK for setting the ball down as a RELEASE then picking it up a 2nd time given no one from either team touched/played the ball. Not only should the referee apologize he has created a huge problem. If it was a PK the match is now PROTESTABLE as it against the LOTG to do so. This is not an opinion this is a 100% mistake as an error in law.!

This habit you have of setting the ball on the ground, then leaving it to fix or adjust your socks etc.. is NOT a good idea. While you have 6 seconds as a minimum it does not recognize this action of setting the ball down as a form of possession like a bounce or holding on to it. Best to redistribute the ball via punt, kick or throw then find a few moments to readjust. Perhaps, HEY referee I have a problem, if say you were winded or needed to put your shoe on . Chances are the referee COULD chose to make that allowance of time to readjust.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Christian.
You have been taught incorrectly. The goalkeeper cannot touch the ball again with his hands after he has released the ball from his possession. This is what Law 12 states
** An indirect free kick is awarded if a goalkeeper, inside their penalty area, commits any of the following offences:......
touches the ball with the hands after:
# releasing it and before it has touched another player
# it has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate
# receiving it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate**
To do so is an offence punished by an indirect free kick not a penalty kick.
So the referee was correct to penalise the offence of releasing the ball and then touching it again before it has touched another player yet it should have been an IDFK.
In future I suggest that you punt, throw / kick the ball to a team mate and then adjust your equipment.