Here is a situation regarding a passback. A passback must have 3 criteria to occur.
- Must be deliberate
- Must be by foot
- Must be touched by GK’s hands.
Let’s examine “deliberate” a bit further. In order for it to be deliberate, the defender must have control of his body. A defender off balance, being challenged does not make it deliberate necessarily.
In the video, you can see that the defender is off balance due to being pressured and challenged and the ball is loose. Although there may be someone to argue the point, by the defender not having control of the ball negates this as being a passback.
There is a real controversy as to what defines passbacks. Clearly the defender must have control of the ball (not a deflection) and must not be in the act of falling. The kick with the foot must be deliberate, but does not have to be a deliberate kick TO THE GK. For example, if a defender deliberately plays a ball well outside the PA and the GK comes out, dribbles the ball into the PA, and then touches it with the hand or arms, it is still a deliberate passback. The important question is the case where the defender is under severe pressure from an attacker and deliberately makes a short pass to the GK who touches the ball. This does not meet the original intention of this law, which was to minimize time-wasting, but is nevertheless a deliberate kick to the GK.
Scenario: Is it possible for a defender to slide but still intentionally pass the ball back to GK with his foot?
If he has control of his body, no pressure on him, and it is clear he is directing the ball back to GK, then what?
I will look for any excuse not to call this. But if it is clearly intentional, then call it.
Remember the intent of the law was to stop time wasting by kicking the ball back to the GK, who used to be able to pick it up.
This video does not constitute a violation, due to the defender not being in total control.