Question Number: 29657

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/3/2015

RE: Youth to adult, comp and rec.

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29654

Thanks for the feedback. I also found some interesting thoughts on 'deliberate' from blogger Joe G at http://flawsofthegame.blogspot.ca/p/deliberate-handball.html

He says, 'The only time a handball is not an infringement is if he is too close to the ball to move his arm (factoring in the speed that the ball is travelling at) and his arm is resting normally by his side.'

Choosing to run or jump or go to ground -- he contends-- is deliberately choosing to put your hands or arms in jeopardy of getting hit by the ball, as you can't do these without taking your hands from your sides.

He sees black and white here, while I see grey. What about when a striker is backing into a stationary defender, readying for a chest-high cross (for example)? The defender doesn't want to be smacked into, so he raises his hands to the striker's back, to cushion the blow. Not to push.

Inexplicably, at the last second, the striker ducks away and the ball hits the defender on the hands. I have seen this as a ref and a player. I'm not calling it, depending on the level of expertise in the players. You?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
This is what UEFA had to say on deliberate handling
** Although football is a game in which players constantly move their arms and hands as a natural part of their movement, it is recommended that in deciding if a player is handling the ball deliberately, it is essential to consider the following points:
# Was it a hand to ball situation or ball to hand?
# Are the player's hands or arm in a "natural" position?
#Should the player take the consequences of having his hand or arms lifted high?
# Does the player try to avoid the ball striking his hand?
# Is the player able to avoid the ball striking his hand?
# Does he use his hand or arm to intentionally touch the ball?**
Now as regards the Blog it is always easier on paper. There can be 100s of such situations with some not being called.
I remember many years ago in a game that I was playing in. I got into a great position on the goal line and I knew the covering defender was coming to challenge. He tried to slide tackle the ball over the goal line which I anticipated and I dragged the ball back at the last moment. The defender who was now committed had his arm on the ground which gathered the ball away from me as he slid past. I appealed for a penalty which the referee duly awarded. The action as it turned out ran the very high risk of that handling being called. Was it deliberate? Perhaps the player did not intend to gather the ball yet he certainly made no effort to avoid collecting the ball by his careless action with his arm.
As to your example the player raising his arms close to the players back runs a very high risk of being called for a push. Anyway if the ball hits the player as described that in my book is accidental and not deliberate given the last moment duck by his opponent. Now lets move it around and the defender using his arms for leverage raises them high above his head and the ball is stopped by that raised hand. Had that not happened the attacker had an easy header or chest for control. Should the defenders action of making himself two foot taller be rewarded with no handling call?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Barry,
just plain incorrect assumptions. The arms being attached are FORCED to go where the body goes . For a deliberate handling look at Suarez at the world cup THATS deliberate handling. As a defender or attacker you start wind milling the arms or flapping like as bird or wavering them in the air above your head like you just do not care those are deliberate actions undertaken with putting off the opponent and making themselves bigger so passes can not easily slip by Yet if we are to believe Keith Hackett these three are ones I agree with
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/apr/05/you-ref-trevillion-hackett-rodgers#img-1
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/sep/09/youaretheref#img-1
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/mar/29/you-ref-trevillion-hackett-stoke

Unless I am sure it was deliberate I do not call it! The tendency to make all contact of the ball to hand focus on wherever a player is trying to deliberately play the ball I think too many forget they are also trying to play the game and have no thoughts on using the arm to play the ball!
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 29671