Question Number: 25400

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/7/2011

RE: Adult

Gareth of Craigavon, Armagh Northern Ireland asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25391

Just a follow up to my original question.

I did say clear handball in my original post but it was not deliberate it was accidental following loss of control of the ball.

Thanks for all replies

G

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Gareth
Whether it is deliberate or not should not make any difference to the advantage decision here but circumstances can contrive to make the referee make the wrong call. If it was deliberate then that is an offence in its own right as play has moved on with advantage realised as per the law. If it was not deliberate then play has also moved on as advantage has also been realised. In this situation from what you now describe play should have continued. I suspect though that there may have been shouts of 'Handball Ref' which may have influenced the referee's decision making, causing him to go back to the definite original foul rather than allowing play to continue with groans from the opponents that the ball was deliberately handled when it was not.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Gareth,

Just so you know, the handling must be deliberate in order for a foul to occur.

An accidental handling of the ball, even if it falls to that player's feet, should never result in a foul being called.