Goalkeepers who have a tendency to waste time during matches will now not have that luxury following the introduction of a new law aimed at curbing it.
IFAB, the global body responsible for making the laws of the game, has now made it mandatory for goalkeepers to hold onto the ball for just eight seconds, after which a corner will be awarded to the opposing team if the limit is exceeded.
Laws of the game currently allow goalkeepers to hold the ball for six seconds before releasing it but it is seldom enforced as goalkeepers frequently exceed the time limit, especially in the latter stages of a match, when their team is leading.
New law set to check time-wasting
There have been two reasons hindering the enforcement of the law with the first being that after six seconds, goalkeepers are normally still surrounded by rival players, particularly during set-piece situations, making it difficult to distribute the ball immediately.
The second is that the existing punishment for breaking the rule, which is an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area, is deemed too harsh for such a minor offence and IFAB now wants to correct it.
As per the new rule, which will take effect from July 1, 2025, the maximum time limit a goalkeeper can hold onto the ball will increase from six seconds to eight seconds.
The referees will visibly count down the remaining five seconds of the time limit using their fingers and if a goalkeeper exceeds the limit, the opposing team will get a corner kick instead of an indirect freekick inside the box as it has been.
Who are the culprits in the PSL?
“The IFAB has unanimously decided to amend Law 12.2 (Indirect Free Kick). The amendment means that if a goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds (with the referee using a visual five-second countdown), the referee will award a corner kick to the opposing team rather than the current indirect free-kick,” IFAB said in a statement.
PSL goalkeepers will have to be careful now following the introduction of the new rule with Magesi’s Elvis Chipezeze among the time-wasting culprits in the division.
The goalkeeper has a tendency of pulling off a number of antics, if his team has an advantage, in an effort to run down the clock and he will have to watch out now, starting July 1 which is effectively next season.
