Question Number: 35566

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/6/2024

Crebs Crem of Zagreb, Croatia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 35565

Thank you for your answers,

As far as I understand, if a goalkeeper stops the ball with his/her arms/hands, it is considered as a control and therefore the goalkeeper cannot handle the ball for the second time. If the ball is cleared by goalkeeper's arms/hands, it is considered as a save and therefore the keeper can handle the ball for the second time. Am I correct?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Crebs
A save, punch or whatever action by a goalkeeper to stop the ball in a save situation places no restrictions on the goalkeeper’s subsequent use of the hands in picking up the ball.
It happens all the time where a goalkeeper uses whatever ever means to stop the ball and the goalkeeper follows up to pick up the ball with the hands.
That is not an offence and nothing that the law makers want to prevent.

Where a goalkeeper has a choice by using the hands to control the ball and then subsequently releases the ball in the same action that is considered a parry which is punished by an IDFK if the goalkeeper uses the hands to pick up the ball after that release when it has not been touched by an opponent or by a team mate in a manner that allows the legal pick up of the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Crebs,
You pretty much nailed it my friend.
The Parry is ONLY a consideration when the hands are used to control and knock down a ball that EASILY could be caught. A rebound off the hands/arms on a save on any forceful moving ball is NOT a parry. Which is why we suggested that a punch is a hard fist not a palming soft action designed to control the ball but rather a save that redirected the ball away from danger.

I recall an incoming ball bouncing gently into the keeper, who thought about grabbing the ball but used his chest to block and control the ball down to his feet. It could easily be caught BUT he NEVER used his hands thus he has NO restriction and could reach down and pick the ball up anytime he felt like. A parry is still a save as is a fist punch, the only difference is on a parry the keeper is restricted and on the other, they are not!
Cheers