Question Number: 16130

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/26/2007

RE: Recreational Under 8

Arabena of ottawa, ontario canada asks...

Thank you for the answer. it helps a lot. Another thing that's been bothering me is when a team mate kicks the the ball to the goalie and the goalie picks it up. i know it's not allowed but i've seen refs do different things to restart. when i was a linesmen for U-13 they had a penalty shot, but when i saw my sisters U-10 game it was a free kick (can't remember if it's indirect of direct). Could you help me sort this out?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Arabena,
the restriction for a keeper illegal handling within his own penalty area consists of ONLY an indfk restart.

It is IMPOSSIBLE for a keeper to be guilty of deliberate handling leading to a penalty kick inside his own penalty area.

If the ball is deliberately handled outside it will be a DFK from that point. It can not be carried forward into the penalty area as a PK!

It is always an INDFK for an illegal handling infringement by a keeper inside his own penalty area it is NEVER, EVER a PK!!

As you are aware that a keeper cannot use their hands on a ball that is deliberately kicked TO them by a team mate or on a direct throw in from a team mate. Remember the keeper CAN use his hands inside his own area on any other pass via the head, chest, knee etc.. by a team mate or any ball last touched by an opponent. The keeper can even go outside his own penalty area to retrieve the ball by dribbling the ball back into his own area and then reach down and use his hands for that 6 seconds of legal ball possession as long as the ball was not originally deliberately kicked to him by a team mate while outside the area.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Remember the reason for punishment of a keeper picking up a ball with his hands that has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate is to prevent the keeper's team from wasting time. If the kick is accidental (very possible if not probable in U8) then it isn't deliberate and need not be punished. If it happens quite suddenly in the play and the keeper looks to be putting it right back into play, hold your whistle for just a second to see if the offense needs to be punished - the referee has that ability. And please pay careful attention to what Referee Dawson said about NEVER punishing a goalkeeper within his or her own penalty area with a penalty kick for handling the ball. That is just wrong! Glad to see you are asking questions - this is how the best referees got started!

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

May I offer the "why" other referees often have incorrect restarts in the case of a keeper handling the ball. They have misunderstood the Law and are reticent to ask any one for fear of looking bad. So they keep on ignoring the cries of anguish from the touchline. They do a disservice to The Game.