Question Number: 29859

Law 13 - Free Kicks 10/26/2015

RE: Travel Under 13

Marc of Deptford, NJ USA asks...

If a goalie plays a ball with his hands from a pass by a teammate, I know its an indirect kick from the 6yd line.
However is the opposing team allowed to build a wall on the goal line?
I know that the defense must give 10 yards for kicks but does that not apply when the kick is within 10 yards of the goal line?
I was involved in a game where the Ref allowed the defensive team to have every girl stand on the goal line 6 yards away.
Wasn't sure of the rule

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Marc,
there are a few wrinkles in your lock on what is or what is not!
The infraction of illegal handling by a keeper for a ball deliberately kicked to him or a throw in from a team directly to him is punished from WHERE he picks the ball up!
--If he picks it up OUTSIDE the Penalty Area it is a DFK offence and possibly caution for misconduct or send off for DOGSO depending on the circumstances.
--If the keeper uses his hands on the ball INSIDE the 18 yard Penalty Area he cannot be guilty of misconduct or DOGSO, but if he is guilty of illegal handling, it occurs from where the ball is picked up. So it is possible for that INDFK to occur ANYWHERE inside the 18 yard PA, from as close as 6 yards away from the goal line to as far away as the outer edge of the PA at just under 18 yds. away from the goal line
--ONLY if he picks the ball up inside the 6 yard goal area is the ball moved to the outer edge of the 6 yard goal area line that parallels the goal line! In this you are correct, the ball is moved to its outer edge on a straight pullback from where the illegal handling occurred inside the goal area for the restart.

There are still other parts of LOTG that are in effect when an INDFK occurs inside the PA in favour of the attackers. The one you identified was respecting ten yards as the minimum distance. Now given that an INDFK can be awarded closer than ten yards to the goal mouth (we know it is a minimum of 6yds at the outer edge of the goal area) but it could be 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or more yds. depending on where the infraction actually occurred from. The main reason for allowing players on the goal line is this is NOT a penalty kick!

There is a provision that if there is an INDFK that is CLOSER to the opposing goal line than ten yards that allows all the defenders to stand INSIDE the posts under the crossbar and along the goal line! If the kick was say 9 yds. away or at the edge of the 6 yd. goal area line only the defending players standing on the goal line can be nearer than 10 yards.

If other defenders wished to stand elsewhere they still MUST in law be 10 yds. away in any direction . This stand is just that, STAND upright, not one foot and stretch out the stride, BOTH feet on the goal line
The defenders, including the keeper MUST REMAIN on the goal line under the crossbar and between the posts until the opposition kicks the ball into ball.

There is no point in awarding the INDFK for a illegal handling violation if you are not going to follow up with the correct procedures at the restart. As a coach on attacking INDFK closer than ten you want to get that ball up high so the best free kick is to dummy the set up and sole roll the ball backwards to a player on the run in.
Cheers PS enjoy the videos they show that you are not the only one without proper understanding of INDFKs inside the attacking PA!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_89A5UkB51w&t=2m17s

I provided a video showing an INDFK violation ( not a deliberate kick back) but a parry and a 2nd touch violation. You can see it is closer than ten yards away from goal but look at the starting positions of the defenders? Utterly ridiculous. Note the poor set up and how the referee permitted no opportunity for that free kick to proceed SCREAMS retake!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur_CmQY40DY

This was a pro referee with no clue sigh, that foam line was total BS. Those players needed to on their goal line not lined up 6 yds straight across. TEN yds minimum in all directions. I do not know the exact nature of the restart but as an INDFK if it DID in fact originate inside the goal area it is on the wrong portion of the goal area boundary line it should be on the goal area line PARALLEL to the goal line NOT perpendicular!
This was in my opinion a protestable situation as it ALTERS the laws of the game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gnOfzQE8nY

This was PIADM an INDFK but it was 12 yds. out note the players two yards in front of the goal line inside the goal area is fine the minimum 10 yds. was adhered to!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxH-0-cnje4

This was a standard INDFK on the edge of the 6 note the referee pushing them to get on the goal line. Aside from debating if the tap put the ball in play the ball hit a defender, so if it went in it would count anyway as a 2nd touch. Still think a player running forward from the 18 calls out for a tap back and bury it high.
lol

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Marc
When an indirect free kick is awarded on the 6 yards line all opponents must be at least 10 yards from the ball until it is in play, unless they are on their own goal line between the goalposts in which case they will be approximately 6 yards or so from the ball depending on what part of the goal line they are stood.
So yes the defending team is allowed to build a wall on the goal line between the goal posts. It would make no sense not to allow that as otherwise it would be a six yard penalty kick!!