Question Number: 29051

League Specific 12/13/2014

RE: Competetive Adult League Adult

Ricky Philip of Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada asks...

My indoor keeper was called for handling the ball last night. Both feet were inside his 6yd box but he reached his hands outside to catch a bouncing ball in the 18yd box and bring it to himself inside the penalty area. Granted some indoor rules will be different from league to league but this was a first for most of us and I would like your knowledge on this generally

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I'm not sure how your fields are marked for indoor. In outdoor soccer, the penalty area is 18 yards out, and the goal area is 6 yards out. The goalkeeper is allowed to handle the ball in the penalty area. So if his feet were inside the 6, there's no way he could reach the ball outside the penalty area.

Now, if you're talking about reaching across the penalty area boundary to handle a ball, that is not allowed by the keeper, even if his feet are inside the penalty area. It is the position of the ball that counts, not the position of the goalkeeper.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi there Rick,
admittedly I am not a fan of indoor soccer with walls. Injuries for boarding and developing skill and tactical abilities are compromised. Compared to walled soccer or large indoor field soccer, Futsal places a greater premium on ball control and until North America embraces this, their outdoor game will continue to suffer!

The LOTG though are roughly the same when it comes to boundary line definition being part of the area they encompass. I thought the goal arc area usually 6 meters around a 3 meter goal was the only portion of the field a keeper can use his hands? The 18 yard line is more the red line and does not serve the same purpose as in outdoor defining the PA.

Deliberate Handball by a keeper is I thought a blue card offence if he goes outside his arc or goal area? He cannot extend the arms outside to pull the ball inside, the location of the ball must be in contact with the boundary line or inside it. The opposing team receives a Free Kick for any illegal handling violations by bringing the ball from outside of the Penalty Arch to his hand within it.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ricky
I cannot see any debate about this. Once the goalkeeper touches the ball with his hands outside the penalty area that is a direct free kick offence for deliberate handling. The position of the goalkeepers feet or body is irrelevant. It is the position of the ball and the goalkeepers hands that matters.
If the ball is on the line it is in the area to which the line belongs.
In indoor soccer the area which the goalkeeper can legally handle the ball is defined and is usually a marked area around the goal. In Futsal the penalty area is two 6 metre quarter circles from each post joined by a 3.16m straight line in front of goal running parallel to the goal line. The goalkeeper may not touch the ball with his hands outside that area. The lines are part of that area.
Sometimes the reason deliberate handling is not called is because the referee has doubts about the position of the ball in the air. If he has no doubts then it will be called which is what happened here.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Ricky,

The Law here is identical in both outdoor soccer and Futsal ('indoor soccer' is typically a variation of Futsal where centres play their own rules - but the law is usually the same as well. So that's the assumption I'm making in this answer).

The position of the feet is irrelevant; all that matters is the position of the ball. If the ball is wholly outside the Penalty Area when it is handled, it's deliberate handling. If any part of it is still on or above the line, it can be handled.

So if the keeper is standing inside the Penalty Area but handles the ball outside the PA, it's a direct free kick.

Similarly, if the keeper is standing outside the Penalty Area but reaches back inside to handle the ball, no offence has been committed. I'm assuming there's no peculiar centre rule that prevents the goalkeeper from leaving the Penalty Area here.

There are a few other ways I've seen goalkeepers breach this law; I've penalised keepers for standing/jumping right on the line and punching the ball if the ball was outside the PA. Similarly, I've also seen keeper stand right on the edge of the PA and throw the ball in such a way that the ball is wholly outside the area before it leaves his hand. These are all fouls.

This sort of offence is likely to be refereed much more strictly in Futsal/indoor soccer than outdoor.