Question Number: 17058

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/2/2007

RE: High School

scott reitnour of high point, nc guilford asks...

This question is a follow up to question 15191

The ball is intentionally played with the foot by a defender, back to his own keeper. The keeper takes a huge first touch with his feet away from defensive pressure. 15 yards away form the keeper's initial touch, the keeper picks the ball up with his hands. The referee correctly calls an indirect free kick, but places the kick at the spot where the defender passed the ball to the keeper. I believe the referee's ruling was incorrect. The indirect free kick should have been awarded at the spot of the infraction. The spot of the infraction is the place on the field where the goalkeeper picked the ball up with his hands. Did the referee make the correct decision with regard to placement of the indirect free kick? Or am I correct in assuming the idfk should have been awarded where the keeper handled the ball?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

You are correct, as long as the place where the goalkeeper actually picked up the ball was in the penalty area, not the goal area. If in the goal area, it would move to the top of the goal area line closest to where the goalkeeper picked it up. When a defender passes a ball deliberately to his keeper, there is no offense if the keeper plays the ball with his feet. The offense occurs the moment he picks up the ball, wherever that might be.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The referee's decision to stop play was correct. The location of his restart was not. This should have happened where the keeper used his hands.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Coach. You get this one. The restart is where the keeper handled the ball unless inside his own goal area where it would come out to the six.