Fed goaltending penalty enforcement

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by flaghappy

This is not illegal batting. The result of the play is a touchback. The receivers will get the ball on the 20 yard line. Rule 6-3-1b and 2016 casebook page 47 6-3-1 situation B.

That's a good case book find.

I believe this is a difference from NCAA which would regard this as an illegal batting foul.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Welpe

That's a good case book find.

I believe this is a difference from NCAA which would regard this as an illegal batting foul.

Yes, by their 9-4-1(c). 2-11-5 & 6-3-1(b) combine to say this is not "blocking a scrimmage kick" (because of where it occurs relative to the neutral zone) so 9-4-1(b) doesn't apply.

In NFL this is treated as an unfair act. Their provision was adopted ~50 years ago.

So in NFL & NCAA, better go up with both hands, and then you're trying to catch the ball, not bat it, and if you muff it away from the goal in the process, that doesn't appear to be illegal.

In rugby if the ball's still rising as it approaches the bar, I think it's treated in both Union & League as "charging down" or "rebound" of an opponent's kick, and is not a knock-on if the ball is deflected forward (relative to the player doing it). If the ball's descending, then the knock-on laws apply.

In Canadian football, amateur & pro, goaltending like this is not illegal, but if the ball is deflected forward to an offside teammate I think it's an offside pass.