# Question about sports with balls **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 1, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611 "2014-01-01T04:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Artemis\_Tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Artemis\_Tardis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artemis_Tardis)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/1 "2014-01-01T04:56:39Z")
Happy new year, folks! Quick question: I was wondering if on soccer, for instance, if the goal keeper manages to get the ball inside his shirt (perfect angle, direction of ball, etc etc etc) and enter the goal area. Will that count as a goal or not, given the fact that he was “holding” the ball? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/2 "2014-01-01T05:15:28Z")
A goal is scored when the whole of the ball crosses the whole of the goalline between the posts and crossbar, provided there is no infringement such as offside, a foul or handball. e.g. the attacking side pushes the goal keeper over the line. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/3 "2014-01-01T05:30:27Z")
Yes, it counts. Watch the pro teams, the goalies are very careful about that. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/4 "2014-01-01T06:13:08Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is sports related, let’s kick it over to the Game Room. Moving thread from General Questions to The Game Room. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/5 "2014-01-01T06:31:45Z")
Not a ball, but a similar thing happened with a puck during a recent NHL game. > **[\#BUTTGOAL](https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2013/12/23/5240598/sabres-vs-coyotes-mike-smith-loses-puck-in-his-pants-carries-it-into)** > > You will not believe the ending to the Sabres game. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jAOKAkEN7SI/hqdefault.jpg "Smith scores on himself with puck in pants") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAOKAkEN7SI) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/6 "2014-01-01T09:00:48Z")
> [@demian\_travis](#): > > Happy new year, folks! Quick question: I was wondering if on soccer, for instance, if the goal keeper manages to get the ball inside his shirt (perfect angle, direction of ball, etc etc etc) and enter the goal area. Will that count as a goal or not, given the fact that he was “holding” the ball? The fact that he is holding the ball (or has it stuffed up his shirt) is irrelevant. If the whole of the ball crosses the whole of the line then it is a goal, assuming no infringement. You may be confusing it with the rule that if the goalkeeper has control of the ball in his hands then opponents are not allowed to knock it out of his hands and take possession of it. But if the keeper steps over the line so that the ball enters the goal, or even gets knocked over the line by the force of the shot with the ball in his shirt (again assuming the ball crosses the line) then yes, that would be a goal. Of course, if the ball was totally hidden in his shirt then the TV goal detection system introduced this season in the Premier league wouldn’t be able to award the goal, as it relies on the ball being visible from at least some of the cameras. But that is only a secondary review system and the referee/assistant ref would still be able to award the goal. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/7 "2014-01-01T12:37:54Z")
However, if the Goalkeeper had the ball under his shirt and ran the length of the pitch into the oppositions goal, a goal would not be awarded and the goalkeeper would be cautioned for Ungentlemanly Conduct. Cite: _You Are The Ref_. **“Shoot!”** circa 1973 ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/8 "2014-01-01T14:24:09Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > However, if the Goalkeeper had the ball under his shirt and ran the length of the pitch into the oppositions goal, a goal would not be awarded and the goalkeeper would be cautioned for Ungentlemanly Conduct. > > Cite: _You Are The Ref_. **“Shoot!”** circa 1973 Or would it be handball (clothing considered extension of hands)? Or obstruction? ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/9 "2014-01-01T14:39:29Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > However, if the Goalkeeper had the ball under his shirt and ran the length of the pitch into the oppositions goal, a goal would not be awarded and the goalkeeper would be cautioned for Ungentlemanly Conduct. > > Cite: _You Are The Ref_. **“Shoot!”** circa 1973 Yep it would be an indirect free kick for an obstruction and an almost certain yellow card for unsportsmanlike behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-sports-with-balls/677611/10 "2014-01-01T15:02:42Z")
Thinking about it some more, I’m not sure that it’s obstruction, or “impeding the progress of an opponent” as it is apparently called in the official rules: _Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the path of the opponent to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction by an opponent **when the ball is not within playing distance of either player**. (my emphasis)_ [http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/federation/81/42/36/lawsofthegameen.pdf](http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/federation/81/42/36/lawsofthegameen.pdf), p114