Question Number: 22728

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/16/2010

RE: Youth Adult

Chris Bradley of Gibsons, BC Canada asks...

Defender under pressure passes back to the keeper. It's a hard pass that's misdirected and goes past the keeper towards the net. Keeper runs back and palms the ball away with his hand just before it crosses the line. Red card for keeper?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Bradley
It is not even a caution. A goalkeeper cannot be guilty of misconduct by handling the ball inside his/her penalty area. If the referee is certain that it is a deliberate kick to the goalkeeper by a team mate then as you know the goalkeeper cannot touch the ball with his hands. In this case it is an IDFK on goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
No disciplinary action is taken against the goalkeeper.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

A goalkeeper inside her own penalty area can NEVER be sent off for denying a goal via handling. Law 12 says, 'denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)'. It has been that way ever since DOGSO was split out as a separate sending-off offense.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Law 12 says that a goalkeeper is not sent off for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity for touching the ball inside the penalty area. So, it doesn't matter that this touching is an indirect free kick offense. It is just a foul.