<P> In association football, the back - pass rule prohibits the goalkeeper from handling the ball in most cases when it is passed to them by a team - mate . It is described in Law 12, Section 2 of the Laws of the Game . </P> <P> Goalkeepers are normally allowed to handle the ball within their own penalty area, and once they have control of the ball in their hands opposition players may not challenge them for it . However the back - pass rule prohibits goalkeepers from handling the ball after it has been deliberately kicked to them by a team - mate, or after receiving it directly from a throw - in taken by a team - mate . Back - passes with parts of the body other than the foot, such as headers, are not prohibited . Despite the popular name "back - pass rule", there is no requirement in the laws that the kick or throw - in must be backwards; handling by the goalkeeper is forbidden regardless of the direction the ball travels . </P> <P> The penalty for the offence is an indirect free kick . This is awarded from the position where the handling occurred, unless it is within the 6 - yard goal area, in which the kick is taken from the point on the 6 - yard line closest to the point of the offence . </P> <P> Goalkeepers are allowed to handle the ball if the ball is played back to them by an action other than a kick or throw - in (such as a header), but defenders are not permitted to attempt to use a deliberate trick to pass the ball to the goalkeeper with a part of the body other than the foot to circumvent the rule . This would include flicking the ball up with the foot and then heading the ball back to the goalkeeper, or heading a ball on the ground that would otherwise be regularly playable with the foot . </P>

Where is a back pass free kick taken from
find me the text answering this question