Question Number: 16522

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/2/2007

RE: Competitive Under 19

Jed of Sunshine Coast, Queensland Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16373

I was asked a different question regarding a similar situation mentioned in Q#16373 by my local federation refereeing coach. However, in this situation a defender makes a poor pass (obviously being an unskilled player) which is kicked so hard and so inaccurately that the keeper must dive at full outstretch, with the ball just rebounding from his hands away from the goal. I understand that had the keeper not made such an effort to get to the ball, and handled it with ease, an IFK would be awarded to the attacking team. But in the situation mentioned, where the keeper is at full stretch, doing his job (ie. protecting the goal), should the IFK be awarded? Our state referee coach was forwarded the question and told us that in the situation mentioned, not only should the IFK be given, but the goalkeeper should be sent off for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity by handling the ball (R4). The response from the state coach, seems even more ridiculous than the federation coach's advice to award the IFK and encourage soft goals. Also, if the outstretched keeper caught the ball rather than just tipped it away, would the consequences be any different?

A second question regarding the same offence. Goalkeeper receives a pass kicked by a defender, controlling it with his feet/chest/head/etc. (not his hands). He then fails to pay attention to the game for the next few seconds, and all of a sudden Ronaldinho (well, you get the idea: a skilled opponent) comes running at full pace towards him, and the keeper, having no other options, with a goal being imminent, picks up the ball. IFK should be definitely awarded, but should the goalkeeper be also shown the yellow card for unsporting behaviour (Y1) ?

I do hope you guys don't clash on opinions regarding the first question like many of the referees in our federation have.

Thanks, Jed.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

No way, no how, never, never, ever should a goalkeeper be sent off for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO) when he handles the ball in his own penalty area. The keeper is specifically exempted from this by the words in Law 12. It's been that way for years, so we know FIFA/IFAB really mean it. It wasn't just a loophole that could have been corrected in the Laws the next year or through an emergency intrepretation.

Now, to the original question. The prohibition is that the keeper cannot pick up the ball when it is "deliberately kicked to him". The interpretation has to be whether this is taken as 2 parts - "deliberately kicked" / "to him" - or as a whole. The USSF leans toward the former, saying that it only matters that a kick was made deliberately (i.e. not a deflection or mis-kick) and that it went to where the goalkeeper could get to it. This allows the referee to avoid the mind-reading exercise needed to determine whether or not the player actually wanted to kick the ball to the goalkeeper or not. We don't have to determine intent, merely see what happens. In recent years USSF have also noted that this prohibition was added to the Laws primarily to avoid time-wasting. It certainly is not meant to be a "got-cha" call; the referee should not be looking for any excuse to penalize a goalkeeper.

You will have to check how the AUS FA/SA is currently interpreting this. In my opinion, the amount of effort the keeper has to make to make the save, and whether or not he manages to hold onto the ball, is not a deciding factor. What should be the deciding factor is if the kick was deliberately sent in the direction it was.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

I still lean towards "was the deliberate kick aimed to score an own goal" or "kicked to the goalkeeper at pace". I've seen enough shots on goal in the last half century to believe I can tell the difference. Likewise, I've seen enough desperation clearances by defenders with no other option than hoping for corner kick instead of a continued attack and been that defender. I have been the goalkeeper as well that had to fend off an own goal comming, abet before the deliberate kick to the goalkeeper change. [You'll note my response was sent to a gent not having to abide by US Soccer policy]

In America we ask was it deliberately kicked, did it go to the keeper, did he use his hands and Bob's your uncle. However I have watched US members of the International Panel think out of the policy box on matches in the USA involving US only sides. So there is some leeway in the matter, one would hope.

To your questions. In the first case I'm going to think using the convoluted logic I usually use, an example of which is written above. If my conclusion happens to be the keeper is just saving an own goal as an instinctive reaction, a lot like deliberately handling the ball and hoping to keep the parts attached kind of thing, play will continue. If, on the other hand, I feel the keeper used his hands when there were other options available, head, chest, face, and [I almost forgot] his boot he's going to be pulled up for an indirect offence.

There is another factor in the equation you give us to consider, a coach. It's been my experience that many coaches are not sufficiently equipped with the requisite knowledge to decide in such a complicated situation as this one. The coach has read SO4 [R4] and found he can send off the goalkeeper for handling the ball. True enough; that is, right up 'til he finishes reading SO4 and finds this: (this does not apply to the goalkeeper within his own penalty area). Coaches, at times, seem more like politicians -- they see what they want in written Law and BS the rest. Set him to the straighter path, please.

The goalkeeper loosing the bubble of situational awareness. Indirect against. If he INSTANTLY drops the ball when the whistle goes and begins to retire the required distance he has only committed an indirect free kick offence. Granted it is WAY cheeky and something you will not let him do twice, think persistent infringement here.
If he holds the ball an inordinate amount of time or if he drops the it and just stands there looking at the attacker C4 and C5 come to mind.

He is using his hands inside his own penalty area KNOWING he is giving up a free kick in the process when he does this. I do not liken this to a tactical offence, in the outfield, when a player scythes down his opponent to kill an attack. What the keeper is doing is what he usually does but at a time the Laws prohibit it. I believe therein lies the difference. As the judge at hand I'll take a decision -- mine might differ from another referee and that just reflects a match condition on the day. If there is a match inspector of an assessor present I'll have to explain what and why and how-come. I can and I can do it logically.

At least in my mind I can... It will start out "In My Opinion". If he is unsatisfied or the national association under which I conduct the competition is unsatisfied I'll go home or drop down a level, or two, in matches I referee and relearn my trade. Remember there is no persistent infringement for a referee, he stops doing matches at the level he was until he learns.. [at least he should]

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

I just love the variations we hear on this and other laws as attempts are made to circumvent the law and/or interpret it to what they see as their advantage. In the Navy we called these types "sea lawyers" meaning they had absolutely no training in the field but felt compelled to share their "expert interpretations" of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Now on to the question at hand. Ref Voshol is right on the mark when he says a keeper should NEVER be sent off for handling the ball in his/her own penalty area. GOOD GRIEF!!! That's what they are there for. And Ref Fleischer gives some very good advice regarding the reading of the game and the situation and the potential for the application of any discipline (use of cards). There is very little to add to that. For my input, some time ago I was given a fairly simple algorithm for deciding whether or not I was going to award an IFK for a keeper using his/her hands in this type of situation. The kick must be DELIBERATELY played towards the keeper. It must be KICKED (i.e. the foot used). And the keeper must use their HANDS to control the ball. DELIBERATE - KICKED - HANDS. If any ONE of these factors is missing the IFK is NOT awarded. Shanking the ball leading to the keeper having to make a heroic save hardly qualifies in my book. Obviously the OPINION OF THE REFEREE comes into play significantly here. I was doing an A-League match (now called USL Division-1) in which the assessor said that I missed TWO passbacks to the keeper. All I can say is that he was wrong - period. I was on the field and I was the referee of the match. Not him. My judgement was that they were not intentional and I still feel comfortable with those decisions to this day. Differing opinions but it is the opinion of the referee on that match on that day that matters. Period. All the best,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Jed: what in God's name is a "state referee coach"? Is this some misguided coach that thinks he knows enough of the Laws to answer referee questions from coaches? Surely he's not a referee as even the beginning referee knows full well one may NEVER EVER send a keeper off for handling the ball inside his own penalty area. Law 12 exempts him from this. That is to say, it's never a DOGSO offence for the keeper to handle the ball inside his own penalty area. Outside it, things are different as he's treated like any other player. No one on this panel will disagree as to no sending off. From what you describe, I don't even think this warrants an IFK (on this, we may disagree amongst ourselves). Remember, the rule forbidding the keeper from handling a ball deliberately kicked to him by a teammate was to stop the time wasting tactic. How does this even remotely fall under that umbrella? Our authorities here in the US warn us to recognize and not punish inadvertant kicks. How could a own shot on goal be anything BUT inadvertant? Hope our answers have helped

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jed,
we are a pretty open group and we back channel and gossip amongst ourselves as well as hit our national organizations and Fifa contacts whenever the dicy issues roll our way.
This part is a no brainer, no keeper within his own penalty area can EVER be quilty of DOGSO by the use of his hands by stopping a ball from entering his goal!
Two law changes that are worth noting why they were made is the deliberate kick to the keeper and 6 seconds only of hand possession. It was simply lets keep the ball in play and not waste time!
Any referee who forgets the SPIRIT in which these laws were made have a tendancy at times to play gotcha. Most on this panel either never did or have passed that a long while back!

When these situations occur a referee makes a decision, every no whistle is a decision the same as every whistle. I have no qualms in looking at each situation on its own in light of the ability of the participants, the needs of the match and the understanding of the law.
Did the defender KICK the ball to his keeper?
If he did it poorly could we then consider?
Did the defender meerly KICK the ball away from the opponent?

The keeper who goes brain dead and reuses his hands or forgets he is restricted is guilty of the INDFK offence at any level at any age in 11 aside soccer. Mind you on a slippery field is a bobble and a bounce then a catch within 6 seconds the same as real release? Is it USB? a tactical foul? Could we turn it into DOGSO? Only if the referee or the keeper seek to undermine why the laws are there! FAIR PLAY is our guide not find a way to screw with those playing or being played !
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

Jed,
Your question has been answered thoroughly by our entire panel so I don't really need to beat a dead horse. However, as I read through each one of my colleagues' responses, I couldn't help but chuckle at them -- especially Ref Contarino's answer. I too really have no idea about a "referee coach." Is that like a player coach? I suppose most coaches see themselves as "referee coaches." Who the heck are these "coaches" you keep referring to? Noting that you reside in Australia, maybe it's a local term used for you folks in Australia? Regardless, this "referee coach" should know the answer to this question.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

And just for good measure... because I haven't added to it -

A goalkeeper cannot be sent of for DOGSO by deliberately handling the ball. What a rediculous notion.

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

See Question: 16575