Question Number: 35753

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/15/2024

RE: Grassroots Under 11

Rory Higgins of Coventry, England asks...

If there is a melee in the box and the defender then gets clear control of the ball and takes a few touches, can the keeper still come out and pick the ball up or does that count as a back pass?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Rory,
good question, there is room for dispute but often a keeper will strip the ball away from his defender in making a save due to the pressure of the opposition. If it was a controlled pass seen as a deliberate kick with the foot then the INDFK criteria could be seen as met, whereas it was just a reaction to the ball near the goal, it can be forgotten. This one of the few infractions we are looking for the intent? Was it a circumvent on their part or just part of normal keeper protocols safeguarding his goal? The distance and proximity to danger likely factors in the decision! Defender is dribbling edge of 18. Keeper back in the goal area runs out and grabs the ball referee is going to be thinking what & why ???? Ball arrives in the middle of a scrum onside the goal area, defenders, attackers and keeper will be vying for possession less likely! Although I have seen defenders shielding, with arms wide, backing into the pursuing attackers trying to allow the keeper to get to the ball it could be adjudged that he manipulated the so called pass back by cradling the ball deliberately using the feet with the full intent of allowing the keeper to come and get it. I generally warn youth rather than go gotcha.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Rory
The answer rests on whether the referee on the day is of the opinion that the defender’s action is intentional as a kick to the goalkeeper.
The direction of the kick is irrelevant as it can be in any direction and the back pass word is a misnomer.

In a melee with multiple kicks and uncertainty a referee can opine that a kick by a defender is not TO the goalkeeper and therefore no offence.

If a goalkeeper is uncertain then the best advice is to kick it away and the question does not arise.
At Underage a referee may give young players the benefit of doubt as these type of situations are rarely intentional with very young players.
Sometimes though these games can be officiated by young inexperienced referees who just see a deliberate kick by a team mate and a pick up which according to the Law 12 when it is to the goalkeeper is an offence.