Question Number: 30598

Law 13 - Free Kicks 7/13/2016

RE: Adult

Alan Parkes of Waingroves, Derbyshire England asks...

The goalkeeper is on his goal line. There is no pressure on a defender who passes back to his goalkeeper to kick it clear. The goalkeeper doesn't move from his goal line. He makes a mistake and picks up the ball.
What should the referee do? Free kick? Where?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Alan
Very simple. As the ball was deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team mate the GK may not touch the ball with his hand/s. To do so is an offence punished by an indirect free kick from where the GK touched the ball with his hand. If it happened inside the goal area Law 13 requires that the restart us taken from the 6 yard line directly opposite from where the offence took place.
In your scenario the IDFK is on the 6 yard line in the location opposite from where the GK touched the ball with his hands with all defending players either on the goal line or 10 yards from the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Alan,
If the goalkeeper handles the ball after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate (or trapped and intentionally left for the keeper), it's an indirect free kick from where the offence occurred. If inside the Goal Area (6 yard box), then the IFK is moved directly out to the edge of the GA - and the defensive team can line up on the goal line to defend the goal).

A goalkeeper can never be cautioned or sent off for this sort of offence, even if it stops a goal.

Even if the goalkeeper kicked the ball but mucked up the kick then handled it, it's still an IFK.