Question Number: 30225

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/28/2016

RE: Competitive and Select High School

Larry Essick of Harlem, GA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 23964

I believe that the answers provided are good ones but I have a question about the final answer which states that a goalkeeper can never be charged with handling.

There is actually a rule on handling that affects goal keepers. It states that a keeper cannot take the ball in hand, drop it and play it with their feet, and then subsequently pick it back up. Doing so is considered handling and results in an indirect free kick for the opposing team.

This rule was adopted circa 1992 and, as far as I know, is still in effect. Am I in error?

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

Hello Larry,
the keeper has no handling infraction that can occur a DFK inside his own penalty area. A DFK is upgraded to as a PK (penalty kick) the inference was no penalty kick can occur from a keeper handing not that a keeper can not be guilty of an INDFK free kick offence!

The keeper has 4 illegal handing possibilities, the second touch after the release is 1, holding it too long is 2, picking it up after it was deliberately kicked to him by a team mate is 3 or doing the same on a direct throw in from a team mate is 4.

From our pitch to your pitch in the spirit of fair play

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Larry,
The answer states:
'The keeper can never be punished with a penalty kick for handling the ball within her own penalty area - not ever.'

That is correct - while there are several handling offences the goalkeeper can commit inside their own Penalty Area, none of them can result in a Penalty Kick - they are all Indirect Free Kick offences. Also, the goalkeeper can never be cautioned or sent off for any handling offence inside their own Penalty Area.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Larry
Many times when answering questions the obvious is not stated or the answer expanded to cover all scenarios. The answer could have had an E point which would have stated * Goalkeepers can, however, be guilty of several handling offences that incur an indirect free kick.*
When the term handling was used in the question it was in the context of deliberate handling which has a direct free kick or penalty kick restart. So the answer given was correct and in the context of a penalty kick restart inside the penalty area on any handling offence committed by a goalkeeper. That is not possible.
The goalkeeper as you rightly point out can be guilty of IDFK offences by touching the ball with his hands such as picking the ball up again after it has been released from his possession or touching the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team mate. That law is still very much part of Law 12 yet it is now rarely called as GKs are mindful not to touch the ball with their hands in such scenarios.
While outside the penalty area the goalkeeper is treated like any other player and that includes being called for deliberate handling.
Happy that you are using the resource of previous answers to hone your knowledge. Just one caveat. As the Laws / Rules do have annual amendments clearly it is not possible for us to go back on old questions that were correct at the time of posting and that might subsequently be amended by a recent law change. This though is not one of them unlike say offside and Law 11 which has changed since then. We however anticipate some significant changes this year when the new Laws booklet issues.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Larry,
The high school rule that you are referring to is 12-7-1 on page 55 that states: From the moment the goalkeeper takes control of the ball with the hands when playing as goalkeeper within his/her own penalty area, he/she has six seconds to release the ball into play. During the interval, he/she may hold the ball, bounce it, or throw it into the air and catch it. Once the ball has been released into play, the goalkeeper may not touch the ball again until it has been played or touched by another player of the same team outside the penalty area, or by a player of the opposing team either inside or outside of the penalty area. This is not part of the NFHS handling rule which is 12-2, and it is penalized with an indirect kick. I hope this clarifies the rule. I hope that your team has a successful season.