Question Number: 35649

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/12/2024

Crebs Crem of Zagreb, Croatia asks...

Hello,

I have a question regarding goalkeepers' touching the ball for the second time with their hands.

If a goalkeeper loses his/her balance when carrying the ball and accidentally drops the ball onto the pitch, can he/she re-handle the ball?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Crebs
Technical answer is no.

However a referee might opine it was a bounce of the ball and that is not considered a release of the ball by a goalkeeper.

A referee may also opine that it is trifling and doubtful and simple let play continue particularly when the ball is picked up immediately at the bounce, releasing it promptly back into play.

I once had one of these on a pretty inclement day and as a goalkeeper was about to punt it slipped from his grasp and fell on the ground. He immediately picked it up and punted it as intended. There was appeals for the IDFK to which I shouted *Not Deliberate* with play continuing and that was the end of it.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Crebs,
as noted technically NO, once released it is an INDFK if reacquired inside the PA !
Yet if it has no bearing on the match would it be necessary? We are fairly liberal with the 6 seconds in general, & often give a keeper some recovery time to arise, get settled before focusing on just how long he is holding up play. I think we can cut some reasonable slack as long as it is minor or has no impact
To award a scoring chance from a slight bobble seems rather off!

The keeper under the LOTG has 6 seconds upon which to grasp the ball and before that time expires must kick, punt, throw, or just put the ball on the ground and dribble to effectively release it back into play as the opposition under the LOTG can not challenge this action!

A goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball with the hand(s) when:
• the ball is between the hands or between the hand and any surface
(e.g. ground, own body) or by touching it with any part of the hands
or arms, except if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper
has made a save
• holding the ball in the outstretched open hand
• bouncing it on the ground or throwing it in the air
A goalkeeper cannot be challenged by an opponent when in control of
the ball with the hand(s).

Using Law 14 as an example of interpretive law, on how should the exact wording of the LOTG be strictly applied, most penalty kicks would be retaken. However since encroachment rarely affects the outcome of the kick (only if the ball rebounds into play), the same principle should apply to player encroachment as to goalkeeper encroachment, i.e. it is penalised only if it has an IMPACT

An indirect free kick is awarded if a goalkeeper, inside their penalty area,
commits any of the following offences:
• controls the ball with the hand/arm for more than six seconds before releasing it
• touches the ball with the hand/arm after releasing it & before it has touched another player

NOW examine this alteration the LOTG state it is an INDFK if the keeper
touches the ball with the hand/arm, UNLESS the goalkeeper has clearly kicked
or attempted to kick the ball to release it into play, after:
• it has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate
• receiving it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate

We can see how the trifling/doubtful aspect of WHY a keeper would act in any way except accidently to not abide by what the LOTG require. An attempt to clear, a bad kick, weird bounce or some strong wind and the keeper has to use the hands to PREVENT a goal. There is no portion of direct law that SPECIFICALLY address the issue if the ball once saved has accidently been bobbled and recovered that we could ignore the offence if no opponent was being unfairly affected as a certainty if was released but rather a consideration that continues the 6 seconds. If the ball is released accidently then picked up as a bang bang incident I see no definitive reason to award the INDFK! If the ball rolled outside the PA & was dribbled back inside and then the hands or the ball rolled far away into a space where an opponent was likely to score or gain possession then we are awarding the INDFK.

Cheers