Question Number: 23929

Law 5 - The Referee 9/14/2010

RE: Competitive Adult

Chris of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 23883

Michelle, How can you class any hand ball as trifling? This is a clear case of deliberate hand ball no matter how far out of the PA the keeper is and has to be treated and sanctioned as such.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Chris
On a punt it can be trifling and indeed I know many referees that have come to grief on that call. I recall an Arsenal V Liverpool game in the PL where the AR called a deliberate handling on a punt by the GK. It was clearly shown that the keeper had in fact released the ball inside the penalty area and that while the kick was outside the line the GK did not at any time touch the ball with his hands. The AR should IMO not have called it as no player sought it nor was it needed in the game even if was fractionally outside.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I refer you to the old Law 5 Decision 8 (aka V8):
'The Laws of the Game are intended to provide that games should be played with as little interference as possible, and in this view it is the duty of referees to penalize only deliberate breaches of the Law. Constant whistling for trifling and doubtful breaches produces bad feeling and loss of temper on the part of the players and spoils the pleasure of spectators.'

It is a shame they condensed this out of the Laws. It still holds true, and should be there to remind every referee.

When the goalkeeper is only barely across the line with the ball, what effect does it have on the game? He could possibly punt the ball a few cm further down the field. Since he's going to miss his intended target by 15 m anyway, who cares? This is the poster-child scenario for 'trifling'.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Chris:

Many referees confuse doubtful and trifling.

In many cases, the offense is indeed doubtful. Everyone sees that the keeper is outside the penalty area when the punt ends. It is far more difficult to determine at the exact moment the ball left the keeper's hands if the ball was completely outside the line.

Even when it is not doubtful, however, almost every punt near the edge of the penalty area, is trifling. It does not change where the ball will lands nor will it affect the defender's ability to make a play on the 50/50 ball in the landing zone. Something that does not advantage the attacking team nor disadvantage the defending team is trifling.

Some players confuse the restart with the infringement. Although every opponent would rather have an indirect free kick near the penalty area than a 50/50 ball at midfield, the issue for the referee is whether the infringement affected play. Few punts do.

The art of refereeing is deciding which infringements do not have to be called for the enjoyment of the players and the good of the game.