Question Number: 15190

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/15/2007

RE: Select Under 13

Bill Kesatie of Albuquerque , New Mexico United States asks...

This weekend, a ball was kicked from the other team to our end of the field. Our keeper left the 18 yard box to get the ball. He dribbled the ball with his feet back inside the 18 yard box and then picked it up with his hands. The referee called an indirect free kick apparently believing that this constituted a "pass back" infringement because the keeper passed the ball back to himself. The rules say that the ball needs to be passed back by a teammate.

I have talked to other referees and former players and they are split as to whether the referee made the right call. Is it a penalty for a keeper to leave the box to get the ball, dribble the ball back inside the box then pick it up?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Bill,

It is sad that less than fifty percecnt would not get this right!

If you were on the side of the referees who thought it was NOT an infringement of the LAW 12 " touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate you would be CORRECT!

IT is NOT a penalty, it is NOT an offence, it is NOT an infringment, it is NOT a free kick, it is NOT a reason for a whistle or a stoppage.

A keeper may leave his own PA at any time to play the ball and can dribble that ball back into and out of his own penalty area as often as he wishes. If he bends down to pick the ball up with his hands while INSIDE his own penalty area the only factors that could affect his doing so are listed as the FOUR restrictions in law 12 fouls and misconduct.
Passing the ball to oneself is certainly NOT one of those four!
The ball was last touched by an opponent before it was played by the keeper no team-mate was involved, none of the restrictions apply.
While the term PASSBACK is used to inaccurately describe the infringment in this case considering there was a PASSBACK was even a greater mistake.

While disappointing I hope you kept your cool but please report the incident to the league! In fact if the incorrectly awarded INDFK resulted in a goal you could protest the match result IF the INDFK was awarded for the keeper passing the ball to himself? One can hope the referee in question is MADE aware recertification training is required.

LAW 12 Fouls and Misconduct FIFA
"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

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Ref Dawson has a strangle hold on this question. The Keeper is allowed to do this provided the ball wasn't deliberately passed to him by a teammate's foot or throw to him via a throw-in.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Have been talking with some of the burning bushes in US Soccer and have offered a suggestion to them on how we can stop this myth. Perhaps learning the keeper may handle every ball he gets inside his own penalty area is where we need to start! Then learn the 4 instances he is no longer entitled to use his hands.

Obviously, because of the number of questions on this subject there is a learning deficiency someplace.

Regards,