Question Number: 17375

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/18/2007

RE: Competitive Under 13

uthamm of Logan, Utah United States asks...

I worked a U12 Girls game where the goalkeeper performed a drop kick to put the ball back into play and kicked it back over her head (towards her own goal) in error. She squealed (!) (as only a 10 or 11 year old girl can) ran back, collected the ball and put it into back into play. My AR threw up the flag indicating a 'double touch' by the keeper (we didn't talk, but there was nothing else to flag . . ). I waived him down, considering the offence trifiling and not intended to circumvent the laws - i.e. the player was trying to play within the spirit of the game. Did I blow it? The AR is older and more experienced than I am and while he didn't say anything, he was a bit cold after the match.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You should have spoken to the AR after the match for his input. What the keeper did is indeed a violation of Law 12 and the punishment is an IFK. You are given latitude to decide what is trifling. You state this is U13 Select. AT that skill level I'd whistle it and award an IFK. At rec level no.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

What you should have seen is the goalkeeper touched the ball with her hands after she released it from her possession and it had not touched another player. That is an indirect free kick offence.

Once you see that "fact" you must determine if what you saw was something the opponents saw as preventing them from having a chance to play the ball. If that was the case then you must intervene on their behalf because the keeper's foul play was an issue to them. If you saw all the keeper's opponents allow the her to kick the ball in that manner and not challenge her in the slightest way thereby accepting her regaining control then THEY considered what she did acceptable to them. In other words it was trivial to them. THEN and only then should it be trivial to you and to your assistants!

This is the "Spirit of The Game". Now comes the hard part of what the good referee does, at some point and very soon, you must remind the keeper what she did is an offence and she is lucky her opponents "allowed" her action. The next time she does it she might not be so lucky or have a referee that understands what the opponents did...

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Yep this should have been called and an IFK awarded to the opponents. Keeper cannot handle ball after she releases it from her possession.