Question Number: 16124

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/25/2007

RE: Select Under 14

Joe Multari of Windsor, Ontario Canada asks...

Can a goalkeeper play the ball with his/her feet outside the penalty area, bring it into the penalty area with his/her feet, and then pick it up with his/her hands and proceed to kick the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It depends on how the ball initially got to the goalkeeper outside the penalty area. If it was deliberately kicked to her or thrown in directly to her, she cannot handle the ball no matter how far she dribbles before the handling. In any other situation she's free to handle the ball once it is inside the PA.

This is not a "deliberate kick to herself" as some would argue. Well, it is, but there's nothing in the Laws that prohibit such a play. The infraction is handling a ball that has been deliberately kicked to her by a *teammate*. The goalkeeper is herself, she is not her own teammate.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Joe,
the act of dribbling the ball back into the penalty area is not illegal ONLY if one of the restrictions of LAW 12 are in effect is a keeper reaching down with the hands to grab the ball inside his own penalty area an infringment worthy of an INDFK against.

6 seconds of handled possession really does not apply to the dribble but the ball could have been released earlier by the keeper and after pressure he dribbled the ball back into his own area where the pick up would be a second touch. If the ball was throw in by a team mate after a restart to the keeper or if the ball is deliberately kicked to the keeper by a team mate in play or on a restart the keeper is restricted in the use of his hands BUT not his feet which can dribble the ball anywhere on the field he wishes!

If NO restrictions are in place and the ball was deflected or passed by a team mate other than kicked (headed , chested etc...) or if the ball last touched an opponent then the keeper can go out and dribble the ball in and out of his area as much as he wishes and if challanged could bend down inside his own penalty area to pick the ball up with his hands for 6 full seconds
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Yes. Provided that the ball was not last kicked to directly to him by a teammate or thrown to him by a teammate taking a throw-in.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Yes. Only if a teammate did not deliberatly kick ball to keeper or throw ball in.