The NCAA News - News and Features

May 5, 1997

Soccer rules changes bring sport in line with international game

In order to align with international rules changes in the sport of soccer, the NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee fine-tuned several collegiate rules during a telephone conference conducted April 23.

The committee adopted two changes regarding goalkeepers -- one a restriction and one an allowance.

The restriction is that goalkeepers no longer may handle the ball after receiving it directly from a throw-in from a teammate. The allowance is that goalkeepers may now move laterally along the goal line before the taking of a penalty kick.

Both rules align with FIFA, the sport's international governing body, which adopted the changes in March.

The committee also aligned with FIFA in implementing rules that allow goals to be scored directly from a kickoff or a goal kick.

The committee deferred for inclusion in the annual rules survey a rule FIFA changed regarding kickoffs and choice of ends. The rule FIFA adopted requires the team that wins the coin toss to choose which goal to attack in the first half and requires the other team to take the ball.

The rules committee, comfortable with its current rule that allows a team winning the toss to choose the goal or the ball, recommended that the membership be surveyed before taking any action.

In other action, the committee recommended to the NCAA Executive Committee that policies outlined in NCAA Bylaws 11.1.7 and 17.1.11 regarding the illegal use of tobacco products be adopted.