Question Number: 15451

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/11/2007

RE: Competive High School

Eric of Raleigh, NC USA asks...

My question involves a play back to the keeper. If the keeper is on team A and someone from team B has sent the ball down near the box. The keeper goes outside the box and brings the ball back in the box with his feet. Is the keeper allowed to pick the ball up with his hands or was he considered a field player when he left the box and can't pick it up?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

This is perfectly all right. Although HS has some rules that differ from FIFA, they are the same in this case. Law 12 says the goalkeeper is prohibited in using his hands under 3 conditions:
? 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

Since he didn't previously have the ball in hand possession, the first point is moot. And since the ball was not delivered to him by a teammate, the 2nd and 3rd points do not apply.

The goalkeeper does not become a "field player" by leaving the penalty area. Each team must always have exactly one goalkeeper, identified by being dressed in the different spiderman colors. When the keeper leaves the goal area, he loses his ability to handle the ball - but he regains it immediately when he reenters the penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

He may legally pick it up just the same as if he had received the ball from the opponent inside his penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Absolutly! The keeper can dribble the ball back into the penalty area (not box) and use his hands. Only if his own teammate would have deliberatly kicked the ball to the keeper could he not do this.