Question Number: 15168

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/13/2007

RE: rec Under 16

david of myrtle beach, sc usa asks...

if a goalkeeper while still in his penalty area puts the ball in his shirt and then walks outside of the penaly area is not it a handball offense

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

Why? Did he handle it outside the PA? Apparently not from your description. However, it is clearly bringing the game into disrepute and worthy of unsporting behavior. Hopefully, as the referee, you would catch this BEFORE the player gets the ball under their shirt and "manage" the situation before it becomes a problem. However, if the situation does get to this point then a caution for USB and an IFK would, in my opinion, be the appropriate decision. All the best,

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

David you ask this question as if you would allow it to progress beyond the point he stuffed it into his jersey. Don't! Why wait until this degrades into is something you should have done gotten involved in as soon as it looked like he was thinking about acting pregnant. Bellow "No, don't do that". Everyone knows you're beyond tolerating what he thinks is going to be fun.

If he stops and gets on with things, he's smarter than you thought -- fine. If it goes under the shirt INSTANTLY stop play!!!!. There isn't anyone on the park, save the stupid keeper, who doesn't know what's gonna happen next. Caution him and show the yellow card for unsporting behaviour. Restart indirect where he was when you stopped things, subject to the special circumstances of Law 8.

Of course if you choose to let him walk out of the penalty area, then we're back where Ref Lacy starts and we do the same thing, if it's under his shirt when he gets there and he isn't using his hands. He did that in his penalty area, where he could. BUT, why do we let him move beyond only under the jersey to under the jersey and outside the penalty area??? Earn that match fee, get involved BEFORE things get out of hand.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The shirt is considered an extention of the hand. Once the ball is past the penalty area compeltly, it should be a dfk for opponents. In my opinion, the referee should stop the game as soon as the ball goes under his shirt and issue a yellow card for USB. Then the restart is IFK at that spot.