Question Number: 17952

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/19/2007

RE: rec Adult

Mark R of Richmond, VA USA` asks...

My son plays keeper in a rec league and was called for a foul in a recent game. He stretched on the ground in front of the oncoming player who had the ball. The player tripped over him and was unable to score. The referee called a foul against the keeper, and told me later that the keeper had not touched the ball. I've never seen a keeper called for a foul in this type of situation. What rules determine whether a foul was committed by the keeper.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Did your son the keeper trip an opponent? Tripping is a foul, and can be called against any player on the field, including the goalkeeper. Likewise, if keepers hold, kick or push their opponents, spit at them, etc., they have committed a foul and it should be called. The only foul where the goalkeeper is exempt is deliberately handling the ball inside his own penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

It is entirely possible that in tripping the attacker your son denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity by an offense punishable by a free kick. This is a sending-off offense!

The reason you seldom or never see this kind of thing being whistled is because it takes courage to do. Many referees will just ignore foul play committed by the goalkeeper simply because it usually results in a penalty kick and many times results in a sending-off.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sounds like your son tripped the opponent with his arm. That's one of the direct kick fouls and should have resulted in a penalty kick if inside the keeper's penalty area. Also, could have denied a goal scoring opportunity. There's a myth that keeper's can get away with fouls inside their penalty area but it's not so.