Question Number: 35362

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/1/2024

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

Hello,

one more question please.

Rule:

An indirect free kick is awarded if a player:

• initiates a deliberate trick for the ball to be passed (including from a free kick or goal kick) to the goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee etc. to circumvent the Law, whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with the hands the goalkeeper is penalised if responsible for initiating the deliberate trick

Situation:

Player A5 passes the ball to the head of teammate A8, player A8 heads the ball to goalkeeper A1. Goalkeeper A1 catches the ball with his hands. The referee decides that the entire action was with intent to trick.

(Player A5 is standing at point 1, player A8 at point 2, goalkeeper A1 at point 3)

Questions:

1. From what point does it restart? (1, 2 or 3?)
2. Which player is cautioned? (A5, A8 or A1?)

Thank you very much!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Petr,
pretty convoluted and in my opinion, an almost pointless exercise?.
The opposition can freely challenge the header.
It is not illegal to head the ball to your keeper.
You could try that same stunt on a throw in .

Originally this trick was punished if an individual player did it to get the ball to his keeper using the foot first then flipping up to their head. This circumvent is considered as USB and occurred the moment the referee realized what the player was doing. The keeper was not punished for the use of the hands as the MISCONDUCT has had already occurred!

When the LOTG were altered so that on a goal kick that ball did not have to leave the confines of the penalty area to be in play the keeper was often seen chipping the ball up to the head of a defender who then nodded it back. to the keeper who then bounced his way up to the 18 yd boundary and tossed or punted the ball all the while using up a few more seconds. Now this created a hmm??? this does not pass the smell test moment because while the ball did not have to leave the PA the opposition did, thus they could NOT challenge the header. It was a tactical adaptation to use the laws as stated to circumvent the circumvent lol

FIFA/IFAB have since made it very clear that the offence of using a ‘trick’ to circumvent the Law that prevents the goalkeeper from handling a deliberate kick from a team-mate will now apply at goal kicks.

By interjecting a 3rd person into the mix, if the header can be challenged it my not be seen as an obvious circumvent trick. That said given it is in the opinion of the referee as to their interpretation if it is presented as a circumvent, then go with your gut

A5 point 1 is the logical suspect, forget the keeper unless he is yelling out the instructions as the circumvent does NOT require the keeper to use the hands at all it was the INTENT of the action by the player in convoluting the balls journey to the keeper.

Player A5 passes the ball to the head of teammate A8, player A8 heads the ball to goalkeeper as player A5 says, you idiot why did you do that? Maybe then lean on A8 point 2 Personally as referee, I suggest they cut that crap out, it should only ever happen once!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
It will be a big stretch to determine that there is a deliberate trick here yet let’s say it was a flick up by A5 to his team mate in close proximity, A5 player is the initiator so A5 will be cautioned and the IDFK from where the flick up occurred.

We know from the goal kick that the flick up by a goalkeeper is punished by a caution for the goalkeeper and an IDFK from where the offence took place with the consideration of the goal area proviso. ** initiates a deliberate trick for the ball to be passed (including from a free kick or goal kick) to the goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee etc. to circumvent the Law, whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball with the hands the goalkeeper is cautioned if responsible for initiating the deliberate trick**

It does not happen without A5 starting it off, that player as the Laws says ** initiates a deliberate trick for the ball to be passed......**

I would also say that if the kick by A5 is from a distance then I can’t see it being considered a trick. The GK has 6 seconds to put it back into play when the GK picks the ball up so there may be limited benefit in doing so. Perhaps doing this multiple times may attract a referee’s attention yet the opponents can set up to challenge for the ball before it gets to the goalkeeper once done from a distance.