Question Number: 14899

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/25/2007

RE: Competetive Under 16

Boti Curry of Herndon, VA USA asks...

Can you please tell me whether it is legal to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper during normal play after it was last played by an opponent or one of your team mates.
I know the rules regarding goal clearance and goalkeeper handling.
What I am trying to figure out is why can the ball not be passed back to the goalkeeper who becomes part of the play by not handling it
I cannot find this rule in the FIFA Q & A either.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Boti,
you labour under a misconception my friend, nothing prevents your players from passing the ball to your keeper in any direction, anywhere on the field of play. Nor is there any restriction at all placed on a keeper for a ball that last touched an opponent before the keeper could use his hands as he is permitted to, inside his own penalty area.

The keeper has only 4 handling restrictions where an indfk could be awarded to the opposing team IF the keeper violates the criteria of these restrictions. These 4 restrictions are mentioned in law 12 see them listed below:

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:

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

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

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

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

The phrase "PASSBACK " is a term that is misused to inaccurately describe a deliberate kick of the ball by a teammate to the keeper which is one of the four restrictions. The closest to the deliberate kick by the teammate to the keeper point 3 of the criteria is the direct throw in point 4 of the criteria where the passing of the ball to the keeper IS permitted as the keeper can use his feet same as any other player only he must NOT employ the use of his hands at anytime on the ball.

Your players can pass the ball to their keeper with other body parts such as the head or chest and there is NO handling restriction in effect. The keeper can accept that ball in or out of his PA dribble that ball in or out of his PA and when challenged by an opponent as long as the ball is inside the PA the keeper can reach down and pick the ball up free and clear for the six seconds of uncontested posession allowed in law stated in point 1 of the criteria after which he must put the ball back into play! At that time he can still dribble the ball but now is not permitted to repick the ball up as in point 2 of the criteria.

Some confusion exists if the ball DEFLECTS off the foot or is miskicked by a teammate . IF it is in the opinion of the referee it is NOT a deliberate kick TO the keeper then it has no restriction and he can use his hands !

To sum up it is NOT illegal to PASS the ball TO the keeper UNLESS you invent a cheating way to circumvent the restrictions.
Only if these restrictions are in place is the keeper not permitted the use of his hands.
The keeper is permitted to come out of his area to get a ball and renter his area with the ball and pick that ball up using his hands as long as none of the 4 restrictions are in place before he does so!

The circumvent as described in law 12 as decision 3 refers to such acts as flipping the ball up to your head using your feet or kneeling on the ground and kneeing the ball or bending down to head the ball as it rolls along the ground

Decision 3
Subject to the terms of Law 12 , a player may pass the ball to his own goalkeeper using his head or chest or knee, etc. If, however, in the opinion of the referee, a player uses a deliberate trick while the ball is in play in order to circumvent the Law, the player is guilty of unsporting behaviour. He is cautioned, shown the yellow card and an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team from the place where the infringement occurred. * (see page 3)
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You can't find it because it doesn't exist!! The keeper may ALWAYS play the ball with his feet. He may not legally handle the ball even inside of his own penalty area if it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate or thrown-in to him by a teammate. Of course. if an opponent last plays the ball he may legally handle it inside his penalty area or if a teammate does nt deliberately kick it to him or to a place where he can collect it. Thanks for the question

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The keeper can indeed kick the ball if it is kicked to him deliberatly by a teammate. He may not touch ball with hands.

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

See Question: 15028