Question Number: 33555

Law 16 - The Goal Kick 8/3/2019

RE: Competive Under 13

Mike of Wichita, Ks USA asks...

The goal kick: a defender takes the goal kick. He chips it directly to the goalie who catches it. The play is not called a hand ball. What is the official rule on this?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mike ,
technically when a defender has deliberately kicked the ball with his foot with the intent of designating the keeper as the recipient of that kick it restricts the handling option by the keeper. The keeper is NOT permitted to use the hands. It is an INDFK from where the keeper caught the ball inside the PA subject to the 6 yard goal area special circumstances. The LOTG changed and the ball does not have to leave the PA to be in play .

I do not find this to be a circumvent situation by the way . The recent circular where keeper taking the GOAL kick was knocking it to the chest or head of a teammate and then handling the ball inside the PA , IFAB has stated the goal kick is to be retaken. Rather than delay a solution, perhaps this situation could been easily addressed by saying the GK cannot handle the ball following a GK or outgoing free kick inside the PA until the ball has touched an opponent or the ball has left the PA?


Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
In June 2019 Law 16 and Law 13 were amended to state that a ball did not have to leave the penalty area to be in play.
One of the consequences of that is there has been situations where the ball has been played back to the GK in a way that allows the goalkeeper to pick the ball up that is a header, chest etc. I have as yet not seen a kick to the goalkeeper by a defender which would be an IDFK offence should the goalkeeper touch the ball with his hands.
IFAB has now issued a circular to state that for the moment In these situations the goal kick shall be retaken.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Mike,
A defender kicking it to his own keeper who handles the ball inside his own PA simply falls under the regular law that prevents the keeper from handling the ball after it has been deliberately kicked to them by a teammate. The restart is an IFK.

There may be some confusion amongst the players over some recent controversial videos where, under the new LOTG which no longer requires the ball to leave the PA at a GK/FK to be in play, a keeper has flicked the ball up to a defender who has headed/chested it back and the keeper has handled it. In those cases, the referee on the day has permitted it but there is strong sentiment amongst referees that it falls under 'circumventing the LOTG' and is a caution for at least one of the players involved and an IFK to the opponents.

For THAT particular scenario, IFAB has now issued a temporary ruling that it is a retake of the GK.