Goalkeepers in football can no longer confuse penalty takers, thanks to a new legislation approved by the International Football Association Board on Friday (IFAB).
“Until the ball is kicked, the defensive goalkeeper must remain on the goal line, facing the kicker, between the goalposts, without touching the goalposts, crossbar, or goal net,” IFAB stated in their law amendments 2023/24 report.
“The goalkeeper must not act in a way that undermines respect for the game and the opponent, for example, by unjustly distracting the kicker,” it added.
According to the IFAB, the goaltender must not act in a way that unjustly distracts the kicker, such as delaying the kick or touching the goalposts, crossbar, or goal net, all of which are common methods to break.
The IFAB stated that the goaltender must not operate in a way that unjustly distracts the kicker, such as delaying the kick or touching the goalposts, crossbar, or goal net, which are frequent methods to break the penalty taker’s concentration.
The new restrictions will go into effect on July 1.