This article was featured in a recent edition of  "The Goal", official publication of Florida State Referees.

"An Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if a Goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following five offenses: <3rd bullet item>touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate"

Decision 4 of the Decisions of the International F.A. Board within Law 12 further describes the situation referred to in the above portion of the Law. "Subject to the terms of Law 12, a player may pass the ball to his own Goalkeeper using his head, chest or knee, etc." It goes on to describe the sanctions if a player uses a trick to circumvent the Law.

The intent of the Law is to keep the game flowing and eliminate time wasting by the Goalkeeper. The Law is very specific on what constitutes a violation. Picture it like a triangle - just as there are three sides to a triangle, there are three steps that must ocur for his play to be considered a punishable "Kickback" to the Goalkeeper.

First of all, the play of the ball must be deliberate. There are times that the ball happens to rebound off the foot of a player to his own Goalkeeper, but it was not deliberate. In these instances, there is no violation of the law if the Goalkeeper picks up a ball that was unintentionally kicked to him. The kick must deliberate to possibly be a violation.

Secondly, the ball must be kicked by a teammate. Kicked refers to the use of the foot or feet. The ankle, the shin, knee, thigh, hip, torso and head are not considered "feet", therefore, it is legal to play the ball to your own Goalkeeper with these other parts of the body. It must be kicked with the foot or feet to be a possible violation.

Third, the ball must be handled by the Goalkeeper. There is no violation if a player deliberately kicks the ball to his Goalkeeper and the Goalkeeper plays it out like any other player would. It is only a violation if the Goalkeeper handles a ball deliberately kicked to him by a teammate. It must be handled by the Goalkeeper before you even consider a violation.

Pull the three parts together: 1) Deliberately 2)Kicked by a teammate of the Goalkeeper and 3) handled by the Goalkeeper. Only then is there a violation, which is punishable by an indirect free kick at the point of the violation (or at the top of the goal area if the violation is inside the goal area). 

Remember the triangle and make sure all three parts of the Law are met before you whistle.  

[ BACK ]