Question Number: 14928

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/2/2007

RE: Rec. Under 9

Rick of Blacksburg , Virginia USA asks...

On what part of the field can a goalie use there hands to catch a ball or stop a ball? When do they become not a goalie?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

How are things in Southwest Virginia? The keeper has special privileges ONLY when the BALL is inside his own penalty area. He loses those privileges when his hands are outside of the penalty area. Doesn't matter where his feet are. Outside of his own penalty area, he's like any other player

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

While the goalkeeper can't do special keeper stuff (handling the ball) when he is outside the penalty area, he still remains the goalkeeper.

Law 3 says one of the players on a team must be a goalkeeper. Law 3 also says that the goalkeeper may change places with another player, but only when the referee has been informed and at a stoppage in play.

Law 4 says the goalkeeper must be wearing colors that distinguish him from the other players.

So even when the goalie crosses outside "the 18", he is still the keeper on the team. Another player can't suddenly decide to run into the penalty area and handle the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Rick,
the player who wears the keeper jersey is the goaly as you put it for the time he is onthe field no matter which part of the field that is. As mentioned a team must always have a keeper as a onfield player. A keeper can run into the opposing half and pass, shoot or score same as any other player .
The only difference is a keeper can use his hands to touch the ball if the BALL is inside the confines of his OWN penalty area.
That is the 18 yard rectangular area which includes the 6 yard goal area immediately in front of the nets, it does NOT include that arc thing at the top! The arc is attached but is NOT part of the penalty area. Its sole purpose is to ensure 10 yards at the taking of a PK

Inside his own penalty area a keeper has that special priviledge of stopping the ball with his hands and picking the ball up but thereare a few circumstances where even he cannot use his hands inside his own penalty area. While a keeper can NEVER be quilty of a PK for deliberately handling the ball inside his area and ONLY a DFK outside his area. 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
Cheers