Question Number: 31712

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/15/2017

RE: Semi pro Adult

Luke Morton of coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom asks...

The ball accidentally strikes the defenders arm 6 yards with the ball on target but keeper is behind defender and defenders arms are by his side. Ref awards a pen and sends player off,right or wrong decision?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Luke,
If as you say, the ball struck the player's arm accidentally then there is no offence here and any decision to penalise the player would be incorrect.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Luke
The great deliberate handling debate. Regular visitors will know that this is a regular question and handling is now one the most difficult decisions a referee has to make.
Have a look at this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG51x6QMc10&app=desktop
The referee opined that Kewell handled the ball deliberately and denied an obvious goal which is a red card offence.
This is what UEFA is advising its referee on handling
** Although football is a game in which 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:
# Does he use his hand or arm to intentionally touch the ball?
# Was it a hand to ball situation or ball to hand?
# Are the players hands or arms in a natural position?
# Does the player want to *make himself bigger* by using his arms?
# Distance the ball travelled before striking the player's hand
# Does the player try to avoid the ball striking his hand?
# Is the player able to avoid the ball striking his hand?
Referees should also consider possible additional circumstances and consequences, e.g. how and where did the offence occur (stopped a promising attack? denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity?) and they must then punish fully in accordance with the Laws of the Game ** End quote
In the Kewell incident the referee got the decision correct IMHO in that the player made himself bigger and allowed the ball to hit his arm as he moved slightly to his right stopping it entering the goal. I believe Kewell could have avoided the ball hitting his arm had he decided that but chose otherwise to stop it entering the goal.
In your situation it is a matter for the referee to decide if the action of the player was deliberate or not and then also a *what happens next* had the ball gone past the defender has to be evaluated. If there were a group of player immediately behind and the ball would have hit one of those player then an obvious goal has not been denied. If the ball is destined for the goal and it is on 6 yards with the goalkeeper rooted to a spot away from the path of the ball then it may be likely that a goal would have been scored.
I guess the argument depending on what way one looks at it could rumble on forever. One team will say clear handling which denied a goal while the other side will say accidental with no possible goal.
There are many Australians including Kewell who to his day feel that it was not handling and an attempt to chest the ball that went wrong!

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

See Question: 31716