A&H

Law questions from yesterday's match

C

cdsman

Member
2 situations arose from my Under 16s match yesterday, which I was unhappy that I was not sure what I should do.

Player handled the ball by putting both arms in front of his face. I did not give a free kick, despite shouts of 'handball' - and I called that he was protecting his face. However, today I cannot see anything in the LOTG that actually allows this. Should this be handball or not?

Second situation was players in a defensive wall moved forwards before the free kick was taken and blocked the ball. The wall was in the penalty area. (Fortunately) the attacker scored the rebound, but I was unsure that if this had not immediately happened, whether I should award a re-take in the same position, an indirect free kick where the ball hit the player in the wall, or a penalty. I think it should be a re-take, as the offense is moving before the ball is kicked - but I'm not certain...

Thanks for answers / clarification...
 
The Referee Store
If you're happy he actually protected his face and the ball was hit from short distance with power leaving no chance of moving out of the way, at under 16 level I would say not deliberate and play on - instinctive reaction to protect his face. That would be my take on it.

with the second one, if a wonderful advantage had not occurred (take a bow son), it's a retake and a caution for the player who blocked the ball for failing to respect the required distance at a restart.
 
It might sound harsh but I've always considered that raising hands to protect the face is deliberate hand ball and should be penalised. Perhaps some scope to apply leniency at very young age groups but at 16s I'd be giving a free kick/penalty.
 
Did he deliberately move his hands towards the ball? Easy deliberate hand ball. What does age have to do with it? It is expected and the correct decision as handball.

With the second what @SM say's.
 
Jacko said:
What does age have to do with it? It is expected and the correct decision as handball.

With the second what @SM say's.
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Given we use a number of things to judge 'intent', skill and experience of the player, thus age of the player, definitely come into it. We'd be quicker to penalise for DHB in the EPL than at an U/10 gala day, wouldn't you agree?

And expected decision? Give me a break. At this age they probably don't even realise there's such a thing as 'accidental handling, keep playing!'. Especially if that accidental handling falls to his feet, which doesn't make it a foul either.
 
cdsman said:
2 situations arose from my Under 16s match yesterday, which I was unhappy that I was not sure what I should do.

Player handled the ball by putting both arms in front of his face. I did not give a free kick, despite shouts of 'handball' - and I called that he was protecting his face. However, today I cannot see anything in the LOTG that actually allows this. Should this be handball or not?
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You also can't specifically see anything in the LOTG that allows a player to nutmeg an opponent...Don't look for what's allowed, look for what isn't allowed.

Handling must be deliberate for a free kick. In your case was it deliberate? Consider whether he could reasonably have been expected to avoid contact. Arms to the face for a looping ball from 20 yards away? Free kick. Arms to the face for a shot at goal that goes to him from 5 yards away? No offence. Of course, make sure the arms are actually at the face - if they've come out from the face and blocked a ball that was never going to hit the face, that's a free kick in my books.

The point with the reflexive, protective act is that he hasn't deliberately moved his hands towards the ball at all. A self-protective reflex means it wasn't deliberate.

With the second one - a penalty kick can only be awarded for one of the ten penal fouls. At this point I urge you to review Law 12 to see precisely what that means (Laws 11 and 12 you should almost be able to recite word for word!). The correct decision would be a card and a retake, if you didn't allow play to continue for advantage or consider it trifling.
 
I know he was referring to U16. I read it quite thoroughly.
I'm saying that moving the arms to the face because the face is in the path of the ball, and as a self-protective reflex, isn't a deliberate action.

Are you saying that if a shot was taking 3 yards from a defender and went straight to his face, and he put his hands up to protect his face, that you'd award a PK?
 
if the ball was going to hit any part of the body self protection, play on far too many referees are desperate to get involved when they should play on
 
Thanks all for your replies... and interesting to see that the handball one has ignited some debate.
I guess my opinion was based on fairness. The player did deliberately handle the ball, by putting his arms in the path of the ball, but if he hadn't done that, the ball would have hit him in the face. Not sure my opinion would have changed even if it had been OA.

Point taken regarding failing to respect the required distance, and thanks for the explanation @SM. I would have given the correct decision, but accept that I need to keep re-reading the LOTG to make sure I fully understand!
 
Hand ball .....my favourite subject always seems to get a good old debate going :)

Has caused more grief over the years than anything else on a Football Pitch .
 
Mooseybaby said:
Had a referee once tell me that he "never gives any handballs!" :confused:
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I'm seriously considering giving them all (outside the penalty area only). Seriously.

Had a freakish number of 'handball' incidents in my first game Sunday.

The first one ball is played to attacker on halfway line quite hard along the ground, as he goes to control it spins immediately up off his foot as a mis-control, strikes his arm and drops immediately at his feet.

I shout play on ball to hand as his arm didn't move between the ball touching his foot then his arm and it happened so quickly it wasn't humanly possible to react that quickly. Not even Spider-Man.

Of course the footballing Gods were not kind to me and they went straight on to score. This caused me massive match control issues, despite it being right in law.

It set me thinking though afterwards, if the ball blatantly hits a players arm, everybody in the ground including the 'offender' expects the FK to be penalised.

I tried it in the one occasion in the following game where a similar thing happened and I normally would have let it go and there was not a single peep.

Not saying I absolutely will but I will certainly be less forgiving in the future.
 
Jacko said:
If your arms go up and are moved towards the ball it's deliberate handball.
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Please show me which page in the Laws state this. You're wrong on this one.

RegalRef said:
I'm seriously considering giving them all (outside the penalty area only). Seriously.

Had a freakish number of 'handball' incidents in my first game Sunday.

The first one ball is played to attacker on halfway line quite hard along the ground, as he goes to control it spins immediately up off his foot as a mis-control, strikes his arm and drops immediately at his feet.

I shout play on ball to hand as his arm didn't move between the ball touching his foot then his arm and it happened so quickly it wasn't humanly possible to react that quickly. Not even Spider-Man.

Of course the footballing Gods were not kind to me and they went straight on to score. This caused me massive match control issues, despite it being right in law.

It set me thinking though afterwards, if the ball blatantly hits a players arm, everybody in the ground including the 'offender' expects the FK to be penalised.

I tried it in the one occasion in the following game where a similar thing happened and I normally would have let it go and there was not a single peep.

Not saying I absolutely will but I will certainly be less forgiving in the future.
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Most players - and sadly, too many referees, think that 'accidental handling that benefits the player' is still somehow 'deliberate handling'. Makes it difficult for those of us doing the right thing. I've seen even some high level referees make some appalling interpretations (such as one player who fell on the ball with arms outstretched being penalised!). You made the right decision. As referees we need to have the courage and integrity to make the correct decision, even if it's unpopular - even if its unexpected (and of course some are going to be - we're the only ones who have read the laws!).

Penalise accidental handling enough times because it's convenient and players will abuse you for that as well. Don't follow the path some on here advocate of ignoring the LOTG and just doing whatever's easier, because no matter what you do you'll cop flak for it.

Doesn't matter if accidental handling stops a goal or leads to one being scored.

On a side note, only say 'play on' if you're not applying advantage. You can say 'play', or 'keep playing'. I prefer to shout 'no! Accidental!', as it tells players what I've seen.
 
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