Question Number: 16969

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/28/2007

RE: Rec Under 13

Robert Prohaska of Carlsbad, CA United States asks...

If the goalie runs up to the outer line of the 18 to punt the ball downfield, how far away must the nearest defender be? If the goalie is going to punt the ball within the 18 how far away must the nearest defender be?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Robert,
he could in theory be right beside him? Why would a team mate being close, be of any concern? Except to get in the way of his keeper?

I am going to answer this as if you mean an opponent?

The opponent can not do anything to prevent the keeper from releasing the ball into play within the 6 seconds of uncontested possession written in law! If a keeper holds the ball in his hands longer then 6 seconds the referee could award the opponent an indirect free kick! The keeper has the right to kick the ball unimpeded for those 6 seconds but pays dearly if he holds onto the ball longer than the allowed time. There is no mimimum distance per say other than reasonable in the opinion of the referee. The opponent can only challange when the keeper has put the ball back into play on the ground AFTER the release.

Now an opponent could be very close, even beside the keeper just so long as he is not preventing the kick by blocking or distracting unfairly. He certainly cannot run into a position in front of the keeper as the keeper kicks or throws the ball back into play, however, the keeper cannot claim interference if the opponent was say already standing at the edge of the 18 and the keeper from say the 6 yard goal area ran up to that player carrying the ball in his hands and kicked the ball at him after running at him for 12 yards!
It must be in the opinion of the referee the opponent's fault to place blame and award an INDFK out.
Cheers