Question Number: 8924

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct

RE: rec (but please answer as a general rule to soccer Under 9

chris of clarks summit, pa usa asks...

if the golie is standing in the goal box (the box where they can use their hands v. not use their hands), and the ball is rolling towards the goalie can the goalie touch the ball with their hands if the ball is outside the box and their feet (while still standing) are in the box?, is this a hand ball?, the same question but if the ball is in the air, headed towards the goalie and they catch the ball, while standing in the box but the hands are extended outside the box (on the vertical plane) is that a hand ball????

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Chris the thing a referee must determine is where is the ball? If inside his penalty area the goalkeeper may handle is, subject to the restrictions or Law 12. If the ball is outside his penalty area the goalkeeper may not handle it without penalty of a direct free kick against. ..This is what Law 12 says on the subject: ..- handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area) ..The sentence speaks of the location of the ball that's handled and excepts one player, the goalkeeper. ..Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Chris. The important this is where the BALL is not the feet. If a keeper standing inside his own penalty area reaches outside of the penalty area and touches the ball with his hands deliberately, then he is guilty of deliberately handling the ball. Please note the restart is a direct free kick from the point of the handling, NOT a penalty kick.

Answer provided by Referee Dawson

Hi Chris,.as my colleagues correctly point out, ONLY! the location of the BALL is considered. If any part of the ball is touching the boundrylines that encompass the penalty area or inside that area that ball CAN be handled by the keeper. NO matter WHERE the rest of his body is! .The boundrylines are considered as an invisable 5 inch wall which extends upwards from the ground when determining an air catch or touch of the ball by the keeper...If a 6 foot 6 inch keeper with a 3 foot reach to the end of his fingers on a size 5 ball of a circumference of (28 ins) that is barely touching the outside of the penalty area boundryline. It is possible the keeper could lay on the ground with his feet pointing in the direction of centre field, arms outstretched towards the penalty area fingers resting on the ball that barely breaks the 5 inch plane of the PA. the keeper's feet COULD be 11 feet outside the penalty area and he could still legally handle the ball...As mentioned IF a keeper is guilty of deliberate handling OUTSIDE his area it is a DFK from that spot it is NEVER a PK nor brought back into the penalty area!..I just want to add a keeper releasing the ball back into play AFTER a save who could break the boundry plane while kicking it upfield is often overlooked or thought of as trival UNLESS it is carried OUTSIDE in a blatant manner. IF you wish to enforce this deliberate handling as a direct free kick rember the location of the ball on restart will ALWAYS be just a fraction of an inch outside the 5 inch penalty area boundryline..Cheers

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

See Question: 31345

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