Question Number: 15274

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 4/25/2007

RE: Competetive Under 18

Paola Morneau of Bloomingdale, NJ usa asks...

This question is a follow up to question 15244

OK, but the law says: [15244]

" An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following offences:

* touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate "

It specifies inside his own penalty area. In my scenario the GK was outside the penalty area, the ball was deliberatly kicked back to him and he received it with his feet, dribbled back inside the penalty area, then picked it up.

Not as clearly a foul as you guys seem to suggest, at least as I see it.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Paola,
no disrespect but you see it incorrectly!
The infringment only occurs IF the keeper picks up the ball inside his own area with his hands it DOES NOT distinguish WHERE the keeper recieves the ball. If the keeper used his hands outside his own penalty area it is a DFK for handles the ball deliberately same as any other player. INSIDE the penalty area refers to the use of hands NOT the pass or the line of flight of the ball not the dribble or subsequent movement of the keeper all of which is legal play until he bends down to to pick up that ball that originally was kicked to him deliberately by his team-mate inside his PA.
As a coach you need to warn your keeper if the ball is deliberately kicked to to him by his team-mate under no circumstances can you use your hands no matter if you are outside or inside your penalty area because one will be a dfk and loss of possession and the other an indfk and loss of possession. It is a lose lose situation ok!
Cheers
.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

We are familiar with how that part of Law 12 reads Coach. We tried to answer your question based on what referees are taught. This is absolutely clear to [most] referees and should be to coaches, as well. If the ball is deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a member of his team he can't use his hands inside his own penalty area. Please don't yell at referees who give this foul, they are correct.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Paola, check Advice To Referees On The Laws Of The Game which may be downloaded for free from US Soccer's web site. It specifically states that a keeper may go outside the penalty area, collect a ball with his feet, dribble it back into the penalty area and legally handle the ball only if the ball was legally played to him. They then note if the ball was deliberately kicked to him by a teammate or thrown into him by a teammate, he may NOT subsequently handle the ball. This is simply the way it is.