Question Number: 35822

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/28/2024

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

Hi all,

I saw this "goof up" back pass in social media and wondered if we are classing this as a back pass where a keeper should not be faulted for using his hands.

I'm thinking at the grassroots level at least, it could be a "play on", as we know the intention was never to waste time. It certainly is not a pass TO the keeper.

The video is clipped, so we don't know the outcome. Perhaps a striker came through and knocked an easy goal in. We also don't know if the defender is rushed in any way.

Some responses were calling for a penalty kick, which is (of course) not the right answer. IDFK from the 6 yard line at best.

Your thoughts? Does it matter if it's on the ground or a rushed upward kick to knock it over the bar?

Thanks as always.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0kpSReuN2-E

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Barry,
if the referee was convinced this was a deliberate kick of the foot by a defender to his keeper the INDFK occurs from the point of ball contact with the hands inside the PA. That was at minimum 12 yards out off the goal line to the right of the post. No 6 yard minimum was ever possible!

From the angle I was not even 100% sure the ball hit the arm of the keeper, more off the chest but I am not convinced it was ever a deliberate intended foot pass to the keeper? Look at the angle and the position of the retreating defenders and the pass direction of the ball?

I just think it was a poorly weighted pass to his defenders in the PA more so than just to his keeper. That is however, just speculation!

It is true the LOTG should not reward mistakes but this was a keeper trying to perform their job more so than attempting to handle a deliberate pass of the foot to him? I agree 100%, in youth almost no chance I award an INDFK for such a situation unless I heard the keeper say pass it to me and the defender said sure, here it is. For me personally just too much doubt . . I think if it was called, it is a gotcha type infringement, more than a deserved free kick where a chance to score appeared out of no where.

Have a gander here note it also shows this same play in a diffrent format.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKLiwwP6Cq8

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
We all know that any time a ball gets kicked to a location where a team mate goalkeeper uses the hands inside the penalty area it will attract howls for an IDFK offence.
Many times referees can and will wave the appeals away as it is unintentional while if there is a strong sense that it was a deliberate kick to the goalkeeper it may be called..

On this one a referee will be faced with making a call based on how it looks. As we have said many times referees are not mind readers and this will look like a kick towards the goalkeeper or a place that the goalkeeper can play the ball.
We have the benefit of video and perhaps it was a mis kick yet how it turns out looks more like a kick towards the goalkeeper than anything else hence I believe why it was called. The fact there was no real challenge pressure on the kicker and that it looked like it was closer to the goalkeeper than any other player plus the goalkeeper not grabbing the ball suggests that he was hedging his bets pushes it into the offence category for some and as a result strong pressure to call the IDFK.
A straw poll of referee will not have consensus and unanimity among them that it is an offence. Some will give it others not and I personally don’t have a problem with either way.
I also think that the goalkeeper has a responsibility here as if the question is asked the decision may not be liked. A slide kick away means no decision to be made whereas using the hands asks the question.

Its not a law that I like and to be honest I have seen these situations go either way as already mentioned. It was never the intention of this law to penalise what I call the expected / intended role of a goalkeeper to use the hands inside the penalty area including mistakes yet we know that the application has morphed on the tough ones. It was introduced to deal with these type of situations
https://youtu.be/SX2HcvMkOiA?si=kBZEyN4EZsSbSvQG

IFAB recognised the mistake element hence the Law change on the mis kick away by a goalkeeper which now allows for the subsequent use of the hands.
Having said all that I believe that by and large the law has curbed the cynical kick to the goalkeeper that is picked up. The price is that the odd dubious one gets called and so be it.

You may recall at a time the so called Test of the Triangle as espoused by US soccer was part of its ATR. The three question were Was the ball kicked, Was the kick deliberate and did the Goalkeeper use the hands. That led to all sorts of unintended calls in games. Thankfully that has since moved on yet probably a few still get called which as I said is the price that comes with preventing this tactic.