Question Number: 16600

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/8/2007

RE: traveling Under 12

patti isensee of shakopee, mn united states asks...

Can the goalie pick up the ball if the last person to touch the ball was a team mate? Or does it have to have been touched by the opposing team before she can pick it up?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It depends. If the teammate heads, chests, knees, thighs or otherwise uses anything but a foot to get the ball back to the keeper who then picks it up, we keep playing as nothing has occurred which is considered an offense under the Laws. Even if it gets back to the keeper, who picks it up, from the foot of a teammate, we must ask next if the kick was deliberate. If yes, then the restart is an indirect free kick from the spot where the goal keeper picked it up, unless it is in the goal area, in which case it will be from the closest point at the top of the goal area. If no, then we keep playing, as nothing in violation of the Law has occurred. Now, if the keeper picks up a ball for a second time, having just released it, without an intervening touch/play by an opponent or a teammate , then we penalize the keeper with an indirect free kick for a second touch. Hope that is helpful.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The goalkeeper can always use her hands to play the ball unless she receives the ball from the deliberate kick of a team mate, directly from the throw-in of a team mate, has released the ball into play or has already possessed the ball for more than six seconds.

Regards,