Question Number: 30109

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/15/2016

RE: Rec Adult

russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

As always, keen to hear the panels thoughts on the penalty against Sterling of Man City in the match over night.
He jumps to block the ball, so that aspect can be seen as a deliberate attempt to block the cross, but was it arm to ball?
Was the arm in a natural position for a jump of that nature?
Do we consider what may be a 'natural' position of an overall body movement - and therefore possible not deliberate handling of the ball as such - against a deliberate attempt of blocking the ball, that, has in it a body position that has the a body part hit the ball (or ball hit body part).
That's the part that interest me.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tUVy0XmgYw4
This for me was a harsh call and it could not be seen as clear deliberate handling. Sterling had his back to the ball, he had no idea where ball was and on video replay it shows that the ball hit his side before making contact with his arm even if it did.
Players now appeal for every single contact on a player whether it hits the hand /arm or not. In this situation Referee Clattenburg was swayed by appeals and what looked like Sterlings raised arm. Had the penalty not been awarded there would have been little debate with most agreeing that no penalty would have been okay In the Leicester v Arsenal game there was a more likely handling that was waved away and again sufficient doubt to say that it was not a deliberate action.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JTFJU1obcd0
Im of the view that in such situations deliberate handling should not be called unless the player deliberately moves his hand /arm to the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Unlucky.
cheers