Question Number: 31115

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 12/15/2016

RE: Adult

Mehdi of Mashhad, Iran asks...

http://uplod.ir/g9jqgfxyz47g/esteghlal_1_0_padideh(1)(1).mp4.htm

Is this a handball?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mehdi
Very difficult to say. Did the ball hit the players arm? Is the player trying to avoid the ball? Is he trying to play the ball?
In the game players constantly move their arms and hands as a natural part of their movement. 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 arms in a “natural” position?
# Does the player want to “make himself bigger” by using his arms?
# Does the player try or able to avoid the ball striking his hand?
# The distance the ball travelled before striking the players hand / arm?
# Does he use his hand or arm to intentionally touch the ball?
One of the real challenges for the game is that I can have a differing answer to each question than say another referee and as a result reach a different opinion. This decision IMO could go both ways depending on what the referee saw, the certainty of what he saw, the angle he saw it at and his opinion on those handling questions.
Personally this is one of those very difficult ones and I would have no difficulty with a penalty or if it was waved away. I have seen them given and seen them waved away. Conceding team would feel hard done by and if not given the attacking team would also feel hard done by. I would be inclined not to give it from where the referee is positioned.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Mehdi,
Judging whether something was a handling offence (handball) or not is probably one of the more subjective aspects of the Laws of the Game.

The IFAB has recognised this and is currently considering updating the law as regards handling offences to try and reduce the amount of subjectivity involved. It will be interesting to see what they come up with.

The Laws contain the following wording as regards the powers/duties of the referee:

''Decisions will be made to the best of the referee's ability according to the Laws of the Game and the 'spirit of the game' and will be based on the opinion of the referee who has the discretion to take appropriate action within the framework of the Laws of the Game.

The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final.''

So without wanting to seem evasive, the answer in one very real sense is that it is a handball if the referee says it is and it's not if the referee says it's not.

As Ref McHugh states, this is one that could have been given or not, based on the referee's sole discretion.

In trying to reach a decision on this incident, I think the first three factors that the laws say the referee should consider, are all relevant. Those factors are:

''• the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)
• the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)
• the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an infringement''

I do not see an overtly voluntary movement of the hand towards the ball here and although the arm is away from the body slightly, it is not excessively so and the ball is hit at some speed from a relatively close distance so on balance I would probably not have judged this to be an offence.

Another referee could easily have seen it differently and given a penalty and this would be an equally valid decision if the referee judged that the criteria for an offence had been met.