Question Number: 23451

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 6/11/2010

RE: Rec Adult

Ed of Los Angeles, CA USA asks...

This just happened in the France-Uruguay game: The keeper picks up the ball in the penalty area near the goal line and his momentum takes him over the goal line. He runs back onto the field and kicks the ball away. Why not a corner kick?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If the referee saw that the whole of the ball was across the line, then it would be a corner kick. But it is the ball, not the player, that is the determining factor.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

A Ref Voshol states, the position of the keeper's body doesn't matter - all that's important is the position of the ball. If even a sliver of the ball is still directly above the goal line, then the ball is in play.

On TV it certainly looked like the keeper had carried it over the line, however the TV camera was looking at it from closer to the middle of the field.

The only place you can actually judge these incidents is if you're standing directly in line with the goal line. The AR was in a good position for this and a far better position than the TV camera.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Here it is the position of the ball that matters. The whole ball would need to be completely over the goal line for it to be considered off the field. Even if the keepers body was off the field, if the ball was still on...then it is not out.