Question Number: 16780

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/18/2007

RE: Adult

jennifer hutcheon of laguna beach, CA United States asks...

If the ball hits your hand, and you have your hand your hands up to defend yourself.. is that considered a hand ball

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jen,
if it was an instinctive move of preservation and the ball was coming at you very very fast and from a short distance away leaving no time to do anything else and you did not try to redirect it in any meaningful way then a referee could be of the opinion there is no deliberateness in the ball striking the hand. Just be sure you do not use the "hands were there to protect" when you have time and options other than to let the ball impact you by raising your hands or crossing your arms. Running into a long clearing ball with arms crossed over the chest or using those arms to redirect the ball away from a stationary position when there was time to readjust your body and use say your head, upper thigh, chest etc.. to control the ball might be seen as the foul handles the ball deliberately!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Sure it's handball, no problem there. BUT, FIFA tells us "handles the ball deliberately [except for the goalkeeper within her own penalty area]" as something a direct free kick is given for. Jennifer you must determine if the action was deliberate and intended to play the ball. Without that there is no foul play only keeping the parts attached,

Regards,