Question Number: 31220

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/2/2017

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

This question is a follow up to question 31214

Hello, thank you for answers. I have one additional question. The same situation in the attack when the player processing ball. (arm close to the body). Will be referee stricter than in players own penalty box? (Offense? No offense?) Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
It should make no difference where this happens on the field of play or by whom.
Human nature though, which is always the adversary of the referee, may result in a referee awarding a less contentious decision of a free kick to the defence rather than a penalty kick. One sees free kicks awarded at half way for perhaps a slight push foul whereas a stronger similar foul might get ignored in a penalty area.
The strong capable referee will make the call based on what he sees without fear or favour. If it is deliberate handling then it should be called. If in doubt then no call no matter.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

H Petr,
if we grasp that a referee as a neutral official intervenes as little as possible and ONLY when necessary. So when he DOES choose to blow the whistle or (apply advantage) he has determined the action performed by the player too egregious NOT to go unsanctioned. Thus he stops play to award the free kick or indicates by signaling advantage that he WOULD have!
Your concern with the handling the ball deliberately is one that continues to garner attention worldwide for the number of controversial calls continually appearing on video. HashTag ('Is this a penalty?) lol
The sphincter tightening calls that force a referee to master his concentration and situational awareness are the iffy situations within the PA (penalty area). Back to the NEED to intervene aspect, we do as referees TRY to manage the temperament of a match by occasional intervention awarding the odd
trifling or doubtful fouls in less dangerous positions on the FOP if ONLY to CALM the players perhaps settle runaway emotions escalating the tensions from some harsh previous play or simply to make a point ('Cut the crap until you decide to play football not whack a player I will call a foul if you so much as breath down his neck! )
Inside the PA is no time to call at the very best, an insignificant fuzzy foul . We need to stand before whatever GOD means to us and swear that If we intervened, it was because the action CLEARLY is a penalty. It was unfair and caused the opposition an opportunity to carry out a score, attack or ball possession. as the player deliberately used his arm to pay block redirect whatever. We would make the same call ANYWHERE on the FOP!
For it to be a foul of handles the ball deliberately the referee must be clear he saw it as the player deliberately using his arm to redirect or block the ball from being shot at goal or passed to an opponent as a very intentional attempt to affect play. The fact there is contact between ball and arm is not reason to say there is a foul. As my esteemed colleague states a good referee ONLY calls what he KNOWS to be true not what everyone thinks they saw!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Petr,
When it comes to the referee judge handling differently in the penalty area then as far as the Laws are concerned, the criteria do not change based on location and so it should be judged in the same way. Having said that, it does seem in some cases that there is a somewhat understandable human tendency, if not to judge it differently necessarily, then to be slightly more circumspect and wanting to be absolutely sure before giving what could turn out to be a match-changing decision.

Once again, you mention the closeness of the arm to the body but as I mentioned in the previous answer, arm position is only one of the factors to be considered in deciding whether the handling was deliberate and is not, in and of itself, necessarily indicative.

For instance, a player could have the arm very close to the body and still use it to deliberately handle the ball - equally the player could have the arm away from the body and not be guilty of an offence, even though there was contact between ball and hand.

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

See Question: 31252

See Question: 31258