Question Number: 32797

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/14/2018

RE: Youth to adult, comp and rec.

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 32793

'deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a teammate.'

There was some discussion about this at a ref meeting last year. I'll give you some scenarios and see what you think about them:

1.) A defender is on the ground in the penalty area with no attackers near him. A low shot comes in and he traps the ball against the ground with his knee. The keeper comes and picks up the ball.

2.) A defender is on the ground in the penalty area with no attackers near him. A low shot comes in and he traps the ball against the ground with his foot. No kicking motion. The keeper comes and picks up the ball.

3.) A defender is standing in the penalty area when a low shot comes in. He traps it with his foot. No kicking motion. The keeper comes and picks up the ball.

We know the back pass law was brought in to stop the blatant (and boring) time wasting -- but note that heading, chesting, kneeing or shinning the ball are all allowed; I'll presume because they are more risky and, more importantly: need to be done from closer range.

Despite the reason for the back pass law, we were advised that a dead stop foot trap should also be counted as a deliberate pass to the keeper -- even though there is no pass or kick involved. What say you?

Gracias, as always. This is a GREAT site, thanks to the panelists and the input/questions from international refs.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Barry,
we are always glad to help out when where we can. I agree to the logic that using the foot to control the ball deliberately using your foot to get the ball to the keeper is worthy of the INDFK offence but not in bang bang situations where keeper & defender arrive simultaneously or challenges are being thrown in by the opposition. Although I would say that only question 1 has me considering if it is a circumvention? Knee is not a foot same as head or chest but if we kneel down to head the ball after we stop it with the foot we could certainly call that a circumvention yet tactically the ball can bounce off the knee and as long as the ball is not resting against the top of the foot? If it is a circumvention then it is an INDFK automatically from the knee spot! Keeper does not even factor into the decision. YET because only the knee was used ,no foot, I say play on!

In the other two questions, timing and distance would factor. A keeper making a save or responding to a threat on goal will not be looked at too harshly for taking the ball off the foot of his defender if opponents are right there ready to pop it in or actively challenging. But to have time to stop, control the ball using the feet then leave it, then shield it until the keeper comes over ahead of the pursuing opposition it is rather like a circumvention of what the LOTG were trying to establish so an INDFK is likely warranted because of the control /intent aspect. But lets say the player on the ground draped a leg over the ball to stop it from entering the goal with the ball resting under his foot. Keeper breaths a sigh great save buddy & keeper grabs it no one is going to award an INDFK for that unless there is a huge time lapse and the player on the ground is unmoving covering/ shielding the ball without making an effort to get up & the opposition arrives unable to play that ball safely might turn it into intent or PIADM? In any match your decision your reputation .
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Barry
The LOTG contains a glossary and it defines kicking as 'The ball is kicked when a player makes contact with the foot and/or the ankle

1) No foul - wasn't with the foot. Not circumvention either - he's on the ground already, it's not a stretch to use your body to trap the ball, he hasn't gone out of his way to do something highly unusual.

2 & 3)Doesn't make a difference if he's on the ground or not. Controlling it with the foot is satisfying the 'kick' criteria (it would be too difficult trying to differentiate between a trap and a very weak pass). Control it with the foot, deliberately leaving it for the keeper and the keeper handles it? IFK If, say, it was a crowded PA and there's an attacker bearing down and the keeper has jumped on the ball immediately and it's all happening at once, I'd probably give them the benefit of the doubt - difficult to tell if it was intended for the keeper.

From the glossary definition at the start of this reply, there doesn't have to be a strike with the foot to be a kick - making contact with the ball with the foot is all that's needed, so trapping qualifies as a kick.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
May take on the questions
1. As the goalkeepers team mate has used his knee there is no offence. It makes no difference if he is on the ground or standing up. He can still use his knee to play the ball to his goalkeeper who can use his hands. The restriction only applies to the foot.
2. A difficult one as it could be determined that the action was a possible save in which case it was not a deliberate kick to the goalkeeper. While direction of the kick to the goalkeeper can be in any direction which is why the term back pass is a misnomer we also have to take account of the circumstances. In a game situation this may look like a save in which case it is not a deliberate kick to the GK
3. This is an offence as the players has stopped the ball with his foot and it should be opined that he did so to play the ball to the goalkeeper with his foot. The direction, strength of the kick is of no relevance on a deliberate kick to the GK. Controlling the ball with the foot is a deliberate kick .