Question Number: 30600

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/13/2016

RE: Youth to adult, comp and rec.

Barry Stewart of Chilliwack, BC Canada asks...

Re: the Euro final and the handball call in extra time that Mr. Clattenberg awarded to the wrong team.

The resulting free kick came SO close to going in and it would have been such a travesty if THAT had been the goal to win the final.

Video replays were up so quickly, a video review official could have radioed down to Clattenberg, 'Stop! You've got the wrong man!'

I know free kicks are supposed to be 'free' but we've already gotten to the point of making attacking kicks from just outside the box ceremonial. In televised games of such importance: are we ready to extend that to any attacking kicks within, say, 35 yards¦ with sufficient time for a video reviewer to sound the alarm while 10 yards are being paced off?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Barry
Yes Referee Clattenberg got out of jail on that one. However as Koscielny was cautioned for the handling it did have an impact on the game plus some argue that as the goal happened close after the free kick that the DFK had an influence on subsequent play?
Anyway it shows why the proposed VAR could work. Easy for the ref here to have radioed an experienced colleague at a video screen to review the incident and to be told that the DFK was the other way.
In respect of QFK that is now rarely happens in the goal scoring area in the Pro game. That has been brought about the teams having a free kick specialist who is looking for the ceremonial free kick opportunity. Couple that with instruction to referees not to allow QFKs it plainly us not likely to change.
I recall in the Champions League in a game between Lille and Manchester United the referee allowed Ryan Giggs to take a QFK and it caused a riot. Lille threatened to walk off and appealed the result to UEFA who ruled it out.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19gip_lille-man-utd-0-1-giggs_sport
http://www.uefa.org/disciplinary/news/newsid=512172.html