Question Number: 15250

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/23/2007

RE: Rec Under 13

Ralph Chappell of Meridian, Idaho USA asks...

If a goal keeper comes out of the penalty box area, collects the ball with his feet, dribbles back into the penalty box area, picks up the ball with the hands, is this considered the same as a pass back? If so, is the correct penalty an IFK?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

I did a quick search of the site using the blue Search Q&A tab at the top pf our home page. Then I went to the Google search space in the right centre of the page that appeared, entered pass back, then limited the search to AskTheRef.com. There were only 131 hits on the words "pass back", a term that does not appear in the Laws of the Game. I'd be willing to bet that we have said, at least me, In Every Case, if the goalkeeper receives the ball anyplace on the field of play, except in the four prohibited ways listed in Law 12, he can handle the ball inside his own penalty area.

Sorry Ralph, your question is valid. You don't know the answer, but those of us on the paned have answered this very same question more times than Carter has Liver Pills. You are a referee and should have learned this in your entry level course. At least I teach the answer to this one in my classes.

This is considered not to be an offence. Play continues as if nothing happened because nothing is contrary to the Laws of the Game UNLESS the ball comes to the keeper from a deliberate kick by a colleague {not a back pass and it may be kicked in any direction], the ball comes directly from a throw-in by a colleague [directly here] or the keeper has released the ball into play and it has not touched another player. Basic stuff here referee. Study Law 12:

It is a direct free kick offence to deliberately handle the ball [except the goalkeeper within his own penalty area]. It is an indirect free kick offence for the goalkeeper to handle the ball longer than six seconds, handle the ball after he has released it into play and it has not touched another player, handle a ball deliberately kicked to him [or to where he can play it] by a team mate, or handle the ball he receives directly from a team mate's throw-in. So there you have it, the answer to your question: NOT SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Not unless the pass came from a teammate's foot and was deliberate. The keeper can indeed pass it to himself.

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

See Question: 15285