Question Number: 22487

Law 13 - Free Kicks 11/10/2009

RE: rec Under 13

richard jenkins of bedford, uk asks...

the keeper picks up the ball from a throw in at the edge of his area and a free kick is awarded. the ref then moves the position of the free kick from the edge of the 18yrd box to the edge of the 6yrd box. Why? We have been awarded free kicks for similar offences but the free kick has always been taken from where the offence took place. Can u help?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Richard
You are indeed correct and the indirect free kick should be awared from where the offence took place, that is where the goalkeeper picked the ball up. I suspect he does not know the law or he has confused the law in relation to a indirect free kick that is awarded inside the goal area which is always moved to the 6 yard line?
Funnily enough as a coach I think it is easier to defend from this distance as the player only have to retreat 6 yards instead of 10, plus a smaller area to defend but that's not the point really.
Poor decision by the official and should not have happened

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Sigh. Another inventive referee who can't remember exactly what the Law book said, so he just makes it up. Dadgum it!

The only time we change the spot of the restart is if an IDFK is called inside the goal area for the attacking team. Then we move it out to the top of the goal area for the kick. In your situation, it should have been taken where the keeper picked up the throw-in.

I do hope it was a throw from his own team? If it was from the other team, the referee made a double error.

Please contact the assignor for this referee and report him so he can be educated at least a little.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The INDFK for the illegal use of the keeper's hands upon receiving a DIRECT throw in from a team-mate must occur inside the 18 yard penalty area at the point the hands come into contact with the ball! If the contact occurs anywhere between the 18 yard boundary lines and the 6 yard goal area lines then the INDFK occurs at the point of the infraction.

The ONLY time an INDFK is set upon the edge of the 6 yard goal area is if that point of the keeper's illegal handling infraction occurred INSIDE his 6 yard goal area per law 13 special circumstances.

The referee has erred in law and this could be protested.

Of course a deliberate handling OUTSIDE the 18 is always a DFK offence outside! And it is NEVER EVER possible for a PK to be awarded against the keeper for the violation of a deliberate use of the hands on the ball!
Be sure the assignor or league is notified so the referee's incorrect thinking can be corrected!

FIFA Quote
Indirect Free Kick
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits the following offence:
? touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate

The indirect free kick is taken from the place where the offence occurred
(see Law 13 ? Position of Free Kick).

Indirect free kick to the attacking team:
? all opponents must be at least 9.15 m (10 yds) from the ball until it is in play, unless they are on their own goal line between the goalposts
? the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves
? an indirect free kick awarded inside the goal area must be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred
End quote


Cheers