Question Number: 17400

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/20/2007

RE: Select Under 16

Doug Crawford of Rocklin, CA Placer asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17372

Ref Dawson's advice on Q17372 conflicts w other advice I have read on your site, concerning the location of a handball, or when goalie hand contact is truly outside the penalty area.

You state:
"The penal foul of ?handles the ball deliberately", creates issues because a ball is much wider than the boundary line. The ball could in theory be deliberately touched with a hand completely outside the boundary line but the rest or part of the ball on the opposing side is in contact with or overhanging the boundary line."

"In my opinion such a ball deliberately contacted by a defending player, say to knock a ball away from the foot of an attacker about to shoot is in fact a PK where as the defending keeper has full authority to do so with no foul at all even if the keeper's entire body was outside the penalty area. Thus here it is the ball location that determines if a foul is in progress not the exact hand to ball point contact."

In a previous question on asktheref I read that it is the location of the spot of contact between the hand and the ball (not the whole ball) that is important. This prior post said that the keeper could use the portion of his hand inside the area, and touch a portion of the ball inside the area, and it would be legal. The prior post said the if the keeper used a portion of his hand that was outside the area, touching a portion of the ball that was outside the area, that would be a handball (even if most of the ball was inside the area).

At the time, I thought it was the prior post that was correct, and I still think so. What do you think now?
Cheers! Doug

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Not that I wish to be considered over defensive as I have been wrong on ahem a few occassions I need a reference for this post you talk about because it is not from me. If the ball is in contact with or over-hangs the PA boundry line it may be handled by a keeper no matter what side he touches the ball on. What do you do if he touches both sides at once? Or only a finger on the middle? Plus the word handball does not appear in law and I certainly do not use it to describe anything like this.

Think on a ball that is almost over the goal line under the crossbar and between the posts and the defender is completely inside the netted area. He stops a ball with his hand on the part of the ball that is actually inside the netted area. That defender is completely outside the field of play yet he will be called for handles the ball deliberately a PK will be awarded and DOGSO applied thus a red card shown with a send off, where as if he were the keeper not a defender we have an ordinary save, play continues.

Consider the ball at the top of the penalty area mostly inside the penalty arc but a slight overhand on the boundry line. The keeper reaches out and pulls the ball into him by reaching around the part of the ball that is outside the penalty area.

Consider a ball along the touchline that is almost crossed into touch but still overhangs the boundary line. A player outside the field awaiting permission to enter uses his hand on the portion of the ball that is into touch to prevent the ball from leaving the field. The ball rolls back into the field?

We have no drop ball for an action outside the field of play in any of these circumstances. The player is held accountable for the penal foul of ?handles the ball deliberately in all cases.

The lines are part of the area they encompass per law 1. As such the PA boundary lines are considered in that light as well.
The location of where on a ball the fingers touch is not considered. The location of the ball WHEN it is deliberately touched is!
I have always been very clear on that point or at least I hope so. Please reference the post on this site that says different??
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I would like to know what post you are referring to. It has long been tradition that if the ball is touching any part of the boundary line then it is inside that boundary. This would include the entire ball thus the keeper would be free to touch any part of the ball as long as some part of the ball was in some contact with the boundary line.