Question Number: 14865

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/19/2007

RE: Level 1 High School

Joe O'Brien of Eau Claire, WI USA asks...

1)Can a keeper playing the ball outside of the his penalty area dribble the ball back into the penalty area and pick it up?

2)Can a keeper while in his penalty area flip the ball up with his feet into his hands.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The keeper may do either of those things, provided she would have been allowed to pick up the ball directly. If the ball was received from a deliberate kick or a throw-in from a teammate, she is not permitted to handle the ball. Kicking it around a bit first does not remove that prohibition.

Also, if she had released the ball from her hands once, she is not permitted to handle it again until it is touched by another player first.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

1. Yes provided a teammate did not kick the ball to keeper with his/her foot deliberatly. 2. Again if a teammate did not kick ball to him deliberatly or he could simply bend over and pick up ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

YES provided none of the 4 handling restrictions of law 12 were in effect.
It is not where the ball is recieved or how often the ball is kicked in or out of the penalty area by the keeper acting as a player!
The priveledge of a keeper being able to handle a ball inside his own PA is not permitted if any the four actions occur prior to the use of the hands on the ball to award INDFK offence against the keeper?

Law 12
keeper restrictions (illegal handling results in) Indirect Free Kick
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following four offences:

takes more than six seconds while controlling the ball with his hands before releasing it from his possession

touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player

touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate

touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate.

A keeper has no handling restrictions on any ball last touched by an opponent or a pass to him by a teammate with other than a deliberate foot pass. Even an inadvetant deflection off the foot of a teammate SHOULD be fine provide the referee saw it as such! Cheers