Question Number: 31253

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/13/2017

RE: Competitive Under 14

Chandler Sam of Olympia, WASHINGTON United States asks...

What is the criteria you go through to determine whether or not to call a handball?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Chandler,
First of all, I would look to the guidance given in the Laws of the game, which says that first of all, this must be a deliberate act. Then it says that the following elements must be considered:

''• 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 would add that the failure of a player to move the hand out of the way of the ball when there was sufficient opportunity to do so, is also indicative of a deliberate act of handling. Also for me, the action of prolonging an initially accidental contact in order to control or direct the ball should be penalised.

There is often talk about natural/unnatural position but it is not always clear what this means or how to judge this. I would prefer to ask if the player's hands/arms in the position they are in because the player has moved them there as a deliberate act in order to make contact with the ball, or not.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Chandler
Handling of the ball by a player is only an offence when it is done deliberately. At one end of the scale there is the situation where the player moves his hand deliberately to direct the ball favourably which is clearly a handling offence and at the other end of the scale is where the ball touches a players hand inadvertently such as from an unexpected bounce which is not an offence.
Now in between these there is a grey middle which causes the greatest challenge for referees. For instance a player turns his back on a shot at close range and the ball hits the players hand / arm by his side. That normally would not be a foul however and there is a however the player could have moved towards the ball in such a way that made himself bigger with the arms well outside his body position. Should the player gain from that body position? It is certainly a foul if the players uses his arms to assist in blocking the ball such as raising them such above the head in the process of going towards and charging the ball down. That is deliberate handling as the player has used his arm to assist in playing the ball.
In Europe this is the advice given by UEFA to its referees
** 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 players 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?**
As you can see it is left to the referee to answer the questions rather than being totally prescriptive
I hope that helps