Question Number: 16442

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/26/2007

RE: competitive Under 15

jack mcneilly of wangaratta, victoria australia asks...

I am a parent and a former referee, my 14 year old daughter plays in the local under 17s competition. Last Sunday one of her team mates put her arms up to protect her chest from being hit by the ball and the ref blew the whistle for hand ball. I was running the line at the time and I asked him if he was joking, no he replied. After the march I approached him and asked him when they had changed the rules for females to protect themselves in this way. I also said what about free kicks when the men protect their privates with their hands, he said that was OK. so what is the rule??

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Jack, as a former referee you must have been trained how to recognize a handled ball, and because of that you had the question for the referee in your daughter's game. I'm assuming there was no one else to run the line and that you ran it as a club line? You were also correct to wait until after the match to approach him with your question. As for the answer, at least from me, it depends on a number of factors. Even guys who protect their privates may be called for a handled ball if the hands move to intercept the ball instead of staying to perform the protection function. I'm guessing the young lady raised her arms for protection and then moved them ever so slightly toward the ball as it came at her, which would move the referee to blow his whistle. If the level is truly competitive, it would be unusual for a young lady to perform this manuever, since they are quite capable at U15 competitive of performing a great chest trap. It is rare at that age to see a young lady performing a protection manuever like the one you describe - normally one sees that only in younger recreational games...which leads me to believe the referee had a good reason for making the call. There are no "rules" per se in such situations, only guidelines stemming from the Laws of the Game which I have outlined for you here.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Jack, your referee said that it was OK for males to protect their privates at a free kick - but did he say anything about doing in during ongoing play?

You also don't say when in the game your daughter's teammate was whistled for the handling foul. Was it a free kick?

If this ref has two differing standards at static free kick situations for males vs females, then he is wrong.

However, as Ref Maloney has indicated, girls cannot go running about the field crossing their arms over their chest any time they see a ball coming their way. Maybe they got away with this at the younger ages, but somewhere between the U-little ankle-biters and the Women's National Team, it has to stop. For this ref in this game, that point is today. Each referee will have a differing view of age level and competition level. I'd never allow it in a U17 game.

Ducking and cowering when a ball approaches you unexpectedly is a different matter. We call it the "flinch" factor - when something suddenly appears in your vision headed your way, you instictively flinch to avoid being hurt. That's not deliberate handling, as long as you don't use the opportunity to direct the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jack,
I like the explanation of my colleagues especially REf Voshol s *FLINCH FACTOR* nick name for a protective reflex action. It is funny and ironic that a player who deliberately tries to shield a sensitive body part with the hands is intentionally handling the ball to stop the impact! Yet we see no reason to award a free kick for the foul of "handles the ball deliberately" because the contact is unavoidable by reason of the speed and direction of the ball and the limited time to react any other way!

Crossing the arms in front of the chest on a free kick for a lady is NO different than a boy placing the hands over the crotch in the same venue. If there is a referee who feels otherwise, the referee requires retraining!

When a ball is in play the use of the arms to PLAY the ball are not permitted by any player other than the two keepers within their respective penalty areas.

The argument of hands across the chest as protective as opposed to a hard redirecting playing surface are based on the time to react, the speed of the ball and where the hands (arms) are located initially! What do they do ? Are they redirecting the ball or being used solely as a reflex action for protection?

A long clearing ball defender rushes forward and crosses her arms tight across her chest and runs into the ball is in my opinion a foul! It is a deliberate play to redirect a ball using a hard surface. The ball could be chested, headed allowed to bounce etc.. Now in a free kick at 10 yards with a ball blasted as hard as possible the arm wrap takes that impact even though the arms were put their deliberately it was NOT to play the ball but ensure the sensitive areas were protected. The kicker is the one who drives the ball into the arm!

Remember right or wrong the referee is a match condition and for that day that version of handles the ball deliberately applies equally for both teams!!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

As a former referee you should know if a player chooses to let the ball hit the hand or arm instead of getting out of the way there is an infraction of the Law. In a static situation choosing to guard is fine, so long as there is no movement of the hand or arm to mitigate the impact.

Regards,