Question Number: 17479

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 10/23/2007

RE: AYSO R68 Under 13

Gary Davis of Camarillo, California USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17423

Your answer to my question 17423 was not clear. You stated, "The point of the restart is where the keeper uses his hands or at the point nearest to where he does on the long line of the goal area."

Does this mean I have a choice as to where to place the ball? If not then when would I place the ball on the long line of the goal area and when would I place it at the point that the keeper uses his hands?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Gary,
there is in law 8, The Start and Restart of Play a portion of law called *special circumstances* if an INDFK offence occurs inside the defender's 6 yard goal area against them there can not be a free kick closer than 6 yards from goal as the ball is always brought straight back to the outer edge of the goal area running parallel to the goal line. If the INDFK offence occurs anywhere else within the 18 yard penalty area the INDFK occurs from the exact spot of the infringement. The special circumstance applies only to the restarts inside the 6 yard goal area.

Thus a keeper who illegally uses his hands say 2 yards away from the goal inside the goal area, the INDFK restart will take place 4 yards straight back from that spot to be ON that 6 yard goal area line that parallels the actual goal line . If a keeper illegally uses his hands at 7 yards out from goal or 9 or excatly on the pk spot that is exactly where the INDFK wiill occur.
Cheers
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Gary when I saw you were a referee I naturally assumed you would know why I said what I did. Sorry. Ref Dawson has explained.