Handling the Ball

The aim of this page is to help you recognise DELIBERATE handling of the
ball and to deal with it.

"Handball Ref! Handball Ref! Handball Ref! Handball Ref?"

How many times have we as Referees heard the above words during every
game?
Only just the other night, I kept hearing those words repeated and
repeated and repeated:
"Handball Ref! Handball Ref! Handball Ref! Handball Ref?"
I looked up at the scoreboard............. Octopus United 0, Millipedes 1.
I awake in a cold sweat. Why do players these days have so many arms and
hands?
Law 12 clearly states that a Direct Free Kick should be awarded to the
opposing team if a player handles the ball DELIBERATELY (except for the
goalkeeper within his own penalty area.)
A penalty kick is awarded if a defending team player deliberately handles
the ball inside his own penalty area (except for the goalkeeper within his
own penalty area).
Deliberate handball means that a player intentionally moves his hand or
arm towards the ball, and could have avoided touching the ball, but
decided not to. It is unfairly done to prevent an opponent from gaining
possession of the ball, because the perpetrator is unable to play the ball in
any other way - and therefore stops or deflects the ball by the use of one,
or both hands or arms, punches it, or catches it.
Before we go any further let us look at some words and phrases that
describe the word 'deliberate' :

....arrived at after due thought ; secret as to escape observation; sneaky;

trickily secret; given to or marked by deliberate concealment or
misrepresentation of the truth; deceitful; dishonest; mendacious;
untruthful; carefully thought out or planned; a calculated effort; a chance
of failure - the probability of which is estimated before some action is
undertaken; a deliberate misrepresentation of facts; characterised by
awareness of the consequences; deliberate falsehood; done by design or
intention; done or brought about of one's own will; implies full
consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences; advised;
aforethought; considered; designed; premeditated; prepense; studied;
studious; thought-out; intentional,; unforced; unprescribed; wilful; willing;
witting; intended; meant; meditated; purposed; determined; purposeful;
aware; cognisant; conscious.
The handball Law 12 offence is so very simple, yet it is so universally (and
frustratingly for Referees) misunderstood by players, managers, TV pundits
and spectators alike. Nevertheless - players will insist on shouting
"Handball" whenever the ball goes anywhere near the upper body - or when
the ball accidentally hits an opponent's arm or hand. It can by very
annoying for the Referee when players' keep shouting "handball, handball,
handball!" - It makes you wonder sometimes, whether the players are
actually octopuses instead of people!!! The continual shouting of "Handball
Ref.!" by players actually shows their ignorance of the proper Laws.
HANDBALL MUST BE 100% DELIBERATE BEFORE IT IS PENALISED
'Ball to hand', is the well-known phrase used by Referees to describe an
accidental 'handball'. It is usually obvious to Referees when a player
purposefully moves his hand (or arm) towards the ball with the intention of
gaining an unfair advantage over his opponents by handling the ball.
Deliberately handling the ball implies a full consciousness of the nature of
one's act and its consequences.
If the ball accidentally touches a player's hand, it is immaterial if the ball
subsequently falls to that player's advantage. For example, if the ball
'accidentally' hits an attacking player's hand or arm, and then neatly falls to
his feet - and the attacking player immediately kicks the ball and scores a
goal - the goal should be allowed - because the attacking player did not
'deliberately' handle the ball (and had therefore NOT infringed Law 12).
Referees certainly have their work 'cut-out' after allowing goals of this
nature to count - nevertheless, they are legal goals. Following goal scoring
situations of this nature, the Referee is advised to sprint quickly towards
the centre circle to distance himself from inevitable moans from the
defending team.

Not all deliberate handballs are necessarily intentional.

Pardon? Have I made a typing error? NO!
When a ball is 'blasted' towards a player, the normal response is to try to
duck out of the way - but because of the speed and strength of the
modern game, this is not always possible. Yet there is no clause within the
Laws that allow players to deliberately handle the ball when protecting
themselves.
If a ball is 'fired' towards a player's middle bits !!!, and that player
deliberately moves his hand towards the ball (the football that is!) to
deflect what could possibly be a very painful experience, then should that
player be penalised for doing this? - what would you do in a similar
situation - grin and bear it?
"Get on with it"!
Deliberate handling of the ball is not a foul if the hand or arm movement is
natural, rather than a contrived position.
When a player instinctively moves his hands or arms to protect his body
when suddenly faced with a fast approaching ball, this should not be
deemed to be 'deliberately handling the ball" - unless there is subsequent
follow-on action to re-direct the ball once contact has been made.
An OBVIOUS Example of.
A similar occurrence very often transpires
when defending players who are part of a
'Defensive Bastille Wall' instinctively
protect their heads (or other body parts!)
from being knocked off - especially when
Monseigneur La Guillotine 'cannonball' Jerry
Cruncher is taking the free kick. If the
protecting action is done in self defence some may argue that this protection is done
'deliberately'. In
this instance, I would like to substitute the word 'deliberately' with
'instinctively'. Instinct is an inherited human behaviour that results in a
fixed reaction to a particular stimulus (in this case, the cannonball that is
just about to knock your head off!). Instinct is not something that can be
learned but is based on the human need to survive in certain situations. It
is an automatic and involuntary reaction - it is certainly not a 'deliberate'
action.

Some Referees will penalise players for 'instinctive' type handballs - I will
normally ignore it, and shout to any moaning players to "Get on with it"!
there is a long term risk of inadvertently semi-legalising this
protective use of the hands and arms.
As a 'rule of thumb', players should not be penalised when the ball has been
discharged towards them (at a high rate of speed) from close quarters, and
the ball subsequently makes contact with the arm or the hand. It is
virtually impossible for a player to purposefully handle a ball with the aim
to gain an advantage over his opponent, if the ball is blasted at him from a
distance of 5 yards (5m) at a speed of 60 miles an hour. When the ball hits
a player's hand or arm at such a speed, it is virtually impossible for the
player to voluntarily react - this is certainly NOT a deliberate hand ball. It
is also impossible for players to always keep their hands and arms out of
harms way during a football match.
Again shout - "Get on with it"! to any moaning players.
Of course, there is the danger, that if too many instances of players
instinctively protecting themselves with their hand/arms and subsequently
handling the ball are ignored by Referees, there is a long term risk of
inadvertently semi-legalising this protective (and instinctive) use of the
hands and arms. I think that we have probably just about got to that stage
already. This may lead to players using this ploy to try and cheat the
Referee in to thinking that they justifiably redirected a ball coming hard
and fast towards them as self-defence. There is no easy answer for
instances where players are instinctively trying to protect themselves when
the ball is blasted at them - there is no official guideline on this..... All I
can say is that I don't penalise for instinctive handballs when players are
trying to protect themselves....but some Ref.s do!
I certainly would not penalise a very young player for instinctively trying to
protect himself in such circumstances - even though in the back of my
mind, I know that extending young players any favours of this nature may
reinforce bad habits that may not be tolerated later on - I hope not.
Players have become very adept at purposefully handling the ball.
Note: Did you know that the hand ball offence is the only direct free kick
offence that is not committed against an individual opponent. It is
committed against the opposing 'team'. - Wow! I'm glad that they did not
ask me that one during my exam!
Handling includes: (a) carries, (b) propels, and (c) strikes the ball.

Identifying deliberate handball is the sole prerogative of the Referee (or

Assistant Referee) - nobody else makes this decision - but many will try to
influence the Referee, and this includes players at the very top level.
If the ball is kicked directly onto a player's hand, or bounces up from the
ground, or is deflected from another player - so long as the hand or arm is
not deliberately moved towards the ball - it is not a foul .
Players have become very adept at handling the ball when it arrives at
waist level and to their side at hip level - Referees must look carefully for
any sly manoeuvres, and penalise any deliberate handling of the ball such
as these.
Even though a player may leave his arm or hand down close to his body, he
can at the very last split-second move so as to touch, control, and propel
the ball with his arm, shoulder or hand. Controlling and propelling the ball
forward using the front part of the shoulder (just above the armpit) is
considered to be a handling offence, even when the main area of contact
of the ball is on the player's chest, and only a minimal area of the ball
touches the player's shoulder or arm. A player should not always be
penalised for touching the ball with this front top hard part of the
shoulder, so long as he does not move the arm or dip the shoulder forward
out of the plane of the torso to try and gain better control and direction of
the ball.
If the ball hits the front top hard part of a player's shoulder and directly
rebounds without the player moving or making any subtle move of his
shoulder or arm to control the ball, this not deemed to be deliberate
handling - and play should be allowed to continue.
Some good goals have been scored by players mistiming headers
So which part of the body does the ball have to touch (or be touched) to
be penalised as 'handling'?
To be medically precise, any deliberate contact with the ball made on the
area of the humerus (upper armbone) triceps, biceps (upper arm muscles),
the radius or the ulna (lower arm bones), the carpals, metacarlals or
phalanges (wrist and hand bones) is deemed to be handling.
Any contact made in the area of the clavicle (collar bone), scapula
(shoulder bone at the back and on the very top of the shoulder) is not
deemed to be handling the ball. Some good goals have been scored by
players mistiming headers, and then seeing the ball go flying into the net
deflected from the top of their scapula (shoulder bone).

To summarise:
The top outside arm (fleshy) part of the shoulder is viewed as part of the
arm - so deliberately touching the ball with the side of the shoulder should
be penalised. The very top and the very corner of the shoulder (the hard
bony bit between the neck and the corner of the shoulder) are not deemed
to be part of the arm, and can be legally used to control or touch
or propel the ball.
The front of the shoulder (just above the armpit)
should not be dipped to gain better control of the ball.
The player on the right is demonstrating a new style top that
enables Referees to identify the fleshy arm parts that if used
deliberately to touch the ball - should be penalised as
handling.
To keep your minds alert, please find below some
handling type questions for your deliberation?
Happy whistling.........
1. If a goalkeeper takes off his shin guard, holds it in his hand and uses it to
stop a ball entering the goal - what action should the Referee take?
2. If a defender takes off his shin guard and uses it to stop a ball entering
the goal, what action should the Referee take?
3. If a defender taking a goal kick, passes the ball out of the penalty area
to his goalkeeper who is standing just outside of his penalty area, and the
goalkeeper dribbles the ball back inside of the penalty area and then picks
the ball up - what action should the Referee take?
4. If a team-mate purposefully flicks the ball up in the air and subsequently
heads it back to his goalkeeper, who catches it, what action should the
Referee take?
5. If whilst the ball is still in play, a player deliberately handles the ball in
his own penalty area after entering the field of play without the Referee's
permission - what action should the Referee take?
6. If a defending player taking an indirect free kick just outside of his own
penalty area, kicks the ball back towards his goalkeeper, but his
goalkeeper misses the ball with his foot, but makes contact on the ball
with his hands before it crosses his own goal line and into the net. What
should the Referee do? Is it an indirect free kick for a back pass or should a
goal be awarded?

7. A defender takes a free kick just outside of his penalty area. He plays
the ball back to his goalkeeper who (unknowingly to the defender) is lying
injured on the ground. The ball is making its way towards goal, when the
same defender manages to intercept it, but in doing so, the defender slices
at the ball that then crosses the goal line between the goal posts, and into
the goal. What should the Referee do? Is it an indirect free kick against the
defender for touching the ball a second time or should the goal be
awarded?
8. When a goalkeeper who has released the ball at his feet, purposefully
picks it up again to prevent an oncoming nearby challenging attacker
gaining possession and shooting towards goal. What should the Referee do?
Send the goalkeeper off for preventing an obvious goal scoring opportunity,
or just award an indirect free kick for touching the ball a second time?
9. When a goalkeeper receiving the ball directly from a throw-in taken by a
team mate, has to dive and palm the ball away from entering the goal thus preventing an oncoming nearby attacker from making contact with the
ball. What should the Referee do? Send the goalkeeper off for preventing
an obvious goal scoring opportunity, or just award an indirect free kick for
touching the ball after it was received directly from a throw-in taken by a
team mate?
UEFA Referees conference 2004.
"Handball Considerations":
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 player's 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?
Referees are also reminded of possible additional circumstances and
consequences, e.g. How and where did the offence occur (stopped an
attack? Denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity?). They must then
punish fully in accordance with the Law."
USSF Advice:

The following clear USSF advice on handling is excellent.

From: Alfred Kleinaitis
Manager of Referee Development and Education
Subject: Handling Offences
Date: April 27, 2005
Recent incidents in the professional leagues involving possible handling
offences have caused considerable comment and debate. For those not
officiating the match, multiple camera angles, instant replay, and slowmotion viewing make the debate easier because they allow a leisurely
analysis of the facts well after the relevant decision has to be made.
The Laws of the Game declare that a direct free kick is given to the
opposing team if a player handles the ball deliberately (except for the
goalkeeper within his own penalty area). This simple statement defines
one of the ten listed offences in the first part of Law 12 (Fouls and
Misconduct) and lies at the historical and traditional heart of soccer, a
game played with all parts of the body other than the hands. Only the
goalkeeper is exempt from this restriction and only while within his own
penalty area.
What are the characteristics of a clear handling offence?

A player deliberately carries, strikes, or propels the ball with the

hand or arm

It is the players action that initiates the contact with the ball

What characteristics of ball contact are clearly not handling offences?

The ball strikes the hand or arm (i.e., the ball initiates the
contact)

The contact is accidental (not the result of action by the player)

The contact is the result of a purely reflexive effort at selfprotection

What are the standards of judgment which the referee will apply when the
handling offence is not immediately clear?

The distance or time within which the player had to react to avoid
contact if there was time to avoid the contact, the likelihood of
an offence is greater

The position of the players hand or arm at the time of the contact
if the hand or arm is carried in an unnatural or unusual position
(e.g., high up in the air or, while defending against a free kick, far
away from the body), the likelihood of an offence is greater

Directing the ball after initial accidental or reflexive contact if

the player takes advantage to control or push the ball away, a
handling offence has occurred

The referee, with input from the assistant referees, must make the
immediate decision based on the best available evidence in an increasingly
fast-paced game. This difficult decision must be respected and final.
Questions and Answers:
Question 1: Should a penalty only be given for handball if the defending
side gains an advantage by handling the ball (i.e. blocking the shot, cross
etc.) this is regardless of intention? Penalties do appear to be given for
'unintentional' handball (e.g. Xavier at Euro 2000),
Answer 1: Law 12 clearly states that a direct free kick should be awarded
to the opposing team (or a penalty kick if occurring inside a perpetrating
defender's own penalty area) if a player handles the ball DELIBERATELY
(except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area). That's it as far as
the Law is concerned.
Whatever, comes after a deliberate handball by a defender in his penalty
area is irrelevant as far as the Law is concerned - it does not rely on
whether one team gains an advantage or not. It's either a penalty or it is
not a penalty.
On the very very odd occasions when following a DELIBERATE HAND BALL
(sorry for shouting!) in the penalty area, a Referee may allow advantage to
the attacking team, but only if a goal is obviously going to be scored.
Generally, giving advantage in the penalty area is asking for trouble because if a player is allowed to 'play on' by the Referee, and then that
player makes a hash of scoring, or if the goalkeeper saves the shot, then
tough luck - the advantage can not be called back in these instances. Doing
so would be tantamount to giving the attacking team two advantages, and
this certainly cannot be allowed to happen.
As far as 'unintentional' handballs (viz. Xavier) the Referee is the only one
who decides what is intentional and what is not. It's easy to make the
correct decisions if you have access to 30 camera angles and replay action
from a cosy chair. It's a little bit different when Referees have to make a
decision a micro-second - sometimes from some distance away. As a rule,
we get most of them right - but some we will inevitably get wrong. So be
it! It's part of the game.

Question 2: Very often, when the ball is crossed in towards the goal,
women defenders who are in the penalty box jump as the ball is coming
high towards them, but do not judge the flight of the ball very well. They
sometimes jump with their arms protecting their chest "just in case". And,
the ball touches their arms covering their chest. What should the Referee
do? Play on - ball to hand? Or penalty? (because they deliberately stopped
the ball with their hand.)
Answer 2: Play, play, play on!!!!. Absolutely not a penalty. What part of
their hands across the chest is "deliberately handling the ball"? As long as it
is unintentional, and no other movement occurs, there is no reason for
awarding a handball. The arms do not control the ball flight by moving
towards the ball - so no foul exists. Apply the same rule as with male
defenders in a defensive wall, whom tend to protect another part of their
body. The reason players do this, is not to play the ball, but to prevent
injury to themselves.
Hands or arms raised to protect a body part do not constitute deliberate
handling the ball. The fact that a ball hits the hands (or arm) in front of
the body (or face) is NOT a deliberately handled ball, unless the player
wards the shot away deliberately with direction. For example - if they do
something like move their arms away from their chest or move an arm to
deflect the ball, then this is deliberately handling the ball, and the Referee
should award a penalty.
Notwithstanding the above answer - as Referees move up the levels, the
players become "cute" enough to attempt to handball while trying to make
it look like it was accidental. These experienced players try and make it
look as though they were using their hands for protection. The Referee
must be aware of this difference, and penalise accordingly.
Question 3: A defending player standing in his goal area, lobs the ball high
into the air. As the ball comes down, a colleague standing next to him,
intentionally palms the ball into his own goal. What should the Referee do?
Answer 3: Law 5 allows the Referee to let play continue for a few
seconds, if there is an advantage to be gained. In this case, the Referee
should allow play to continue and award a goal. Whether or not the
defender who handled the ball should be cautioned or not, depends on the
individual Referee. For example, this player may have already committed a
number of minor offences, and the handball could be considered to be
persistent infringement. A Referee does not always have to caution a
player just because he handled the ball. In this question, awarding the goal
is probably punishment enough.

Question 4: If a defending player intentionally handles the ball on his goal

line in an attempt to prevent a goal being scored - but does not prevent
the ball entering the gaol - should the defending player ALWAYS be
cautioned for unsporting behaviour?
Answer 4: There is nothing in the Laws themselves that state that a
Referee MUST caution a player who deliberately handles the ball in an
attempt to prevent a goal, but the goal is scored. Intentional handling of
the ball can be cautioned under the auspices of Unsporting Behaviour
but not ALL intentional handling is Cautioned. The reason why Referees are
taught to always Caution in these (goal mouth) instances, is that the
circumstance and the position, and the attempt to stop the ball entering
the goal, is a much more serious offence than when a player intentionally
handles the ball on the half-way line.
The Football Association (England) 2 Tier Referees Instructor Training
Syllabus, Basic Syllabus Part 1, Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct - specifically
states that:
it is Unsporting Behaviour if a "player deliberately handles the ball in
order to attempt to prevent a goal but fails to do so".
Therefore, in terms of constancy, players taking this action SHOULD be
cautioned.
This has always been the stance and advice given for many years when
training Referees. But like most things, the Referee will take all of the
circumstances of the game into consideration before making his decision.
Question 5 (slightly different to the above question):
A defender standing on his goal line and between the goal posts
deliberately tries with his hand, but fails to prevent a goal being scored.
The ball crosses the line and the defender pushes the ball back into the
field of play with his hand. The goal is given. Because the ball had already
crossed the line before it was handled, it is now out of play and no offence
has taken place. What, if anything happens next?
Answer 5: There is indeed a fine line between cautioning or not cautioning
in this situation. As you say because the ball was handled outside of the
field of play (the area under the net in not part of the field of play) then
by Law, no handling offence has been committed.
Take the example to the extreme if the ball entered the goal, and the
defender was standing right at the very back of the net and committed the
same action, you would probably just ignore it. Therefore why should the

outcome (caution or not caution) be any different if it happened nearer to

the goal line?
Notwithstanding the above there is no doubt that Unsporting Behaviour
could be used as a means of cautioning. We in the UK have been cautioning
for the attempt to prevent a goal for many years.
Why?
Because the current English FA Referees 2 Tier Training Syllabus has the
following line under Offence: Unsporting Behaviour
"Player deliberately handles the ball in order to attempt to prevent a goal
but fails to do so."
Whether you agree with it or not is a matter of opinion.
Question 6: During a free kick, the opposing team stand shoulder-toshoulder in their goal area, with their hands held high above their heads.
Without any of the hands having moved, the ball strikes one of them (and is
deflected away from the goal). Should the Referee award a penalty kick?
(Or would the decision be different if the ball ended up in the net?
Similarly, what if a player spreads his arms out to block a shot on goal
within his penalty area, and the ball is then kicked onto his hand or arm, is
this deliberate handling of the ball (penalised with penalty kick to the
attacking team?)
Answer 6: Law 12 states that a direct free kick is awarded to the opposing
team if a player handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper
within his own penalty area).
It must be appreciated, that players are very capable of anticipating where
the ball might go before it is hit. In other words, the movement of the
hand into a certain position can be made before the ball is hit. This can be
construed as a 'deliberate' move. Even though there is no stipulation in the
Laws that require players to place their hands and arms in certain positions
in relation to their bodies - the placing of hands high above the head is not
a natural position for a player to take. In most cases of 'handball' the
offence is not reliant on the position of the hands or arms, it is whether or
not a player "handles the ball deliberately" or not. But as far as this
question is concerned, it could argued that by placing their hands in such a
position, that the players 'deliberately' placed them there knowing that
there was a chance that the ball would strike them. This is a fair
assumption to make.

Whether to penalise or not, therefore depends on the individual Referee's

opinion. If he believes that the defender deliberately moved his arm into a
position in order to block or deflect the ball, then it can be deemed to be
"deliberately handling of the ball" even though the hand did not travel
TOWARDS the ball. But it is also possible for a player to naturally scratch
his head, thus innocently moving his hand into a high position. And in some
cases, the arm can be seen to actually travel AWAY from the ball before it
is hit.
The answer is therefore dependent on the individual Referee's reading of
each incident, and the player's intent.
As Referees move up the levels, players become "cute" enough to attempt
to handball while trying to make it look like it was accidental. Experienced
players are also good at making it look as though they were using their
hands for protection. The Referee must be aware of these acts of
gamesmanship, and penalise accordingly.
If a goal is scored, then as long as the Referee has not stopped play, he can
allow 'advantage' thus allowing the goal to stand.
Question 7: A team-mate deliberately passes ball to his goalkeeper. The
goalkeeper tries to chest ball, but in doing so, the ball strikes his upper
arm. What action should the Referee take?
Answer 7: Law 12 states that an Indirect Free Kick should be awarded to
the opposing team if a goalkeeper touches the ball with his hands after it
has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate. If the goalkeeper
used his arm to control or redirect the ball to his advantage (for example to deliberately manipulate the ball with his arm/hands) then the Referee
could consider this to be an intentional move by the goalkeeper (and an
Indirect Free Kick should be awarded against him). It could be that the
goalkeeper had just misdirected the ball after attempting to chest it down
to the ground and wasn't grabbing at it. This would be no different to when
the ball accidentally strikes an outfield player's arm.
In this case - if the Referee believes that the ball bounced off the
goalkeeper's chest and onto his arm by accident - then the Referee could
(rightly) allow play to continue. This is one of those 'You Had To Be There'
(YHTBT) calls.
Question 8: An attacking player crosses the ball in from the wing. A
defender standing a few yards away jumps up for the ball with his hands
high up into the air (above his head, and not protecting himself). The ball
strikes the hand of the defender. Has the defender deliberately handled
the ball?

Answer 8: Law 12 clearly states that it is a foul if the ball is deliberately

handled. Only the Referee can decide what is deliberate of not. There are
infinite positions that a player's hands and arms can be when he is jumping
for the ball. It would therefore be impossible to categorise the position of
arms and hands in such a way that the various positions could be classified
as an offence or not. It is not the position of the limbs that dictate the
answer; it is the understanding of the Referee, in calculating whether the
player intentionally moved his hand/arm towards the ball with the sole
purpose of handling it deliberately. Anyone else's opinion is irrelevant.
Question 9: An attacking player strikes the ball towards goal and a
defender blocks the ball on the goal line. The defender has gone for a
diving header and turns in the air so that he is no longer facing the attacker
and cannot possibly see the ball to 'illegally' handle it. But the ball strikes
the defender's arm and deflects away it from the gaol. Is this an
'intentional' handball, and therefore a penalty kick, or is it accidental hand
ball?
Answer 9: It can only be 100% deliberate handling, if a player can see the
trajectory of the ball, and then deliberately moves his hand into the path
of the ball to block it. Albeit that the Referee may probably have a 40%
leaning towards believing that the player in the original question may have
had some thought about deliberately handling the ball, it would be
irresponsible as a member of the jury, to hang him on circumstantial
evidence that establishes a conclusion by inference.
Play should be allowed to continue, as it would be impossible to conclude
that it was a deliberate handing of the ball.
Question 10: If a goalkeeper handles the ball outside the area but does not
deny a goal scoring opportunity, typically the keeper has just misjudged his
area .... what is the ruling?
Answer 10: This is a situation that is often misunderstood.
The easiest way to understand this, is to appreciate, that when a
goalkeeper comes outside of his own penalty area, he loses the special
goalkeeper parts of the Laws that cover him whilst he remains inside his
penalty area. In other words, if the goalkeeper handles the ball
deliberately outside of his own penalty area, he gets the same treatment
as an outfield player would, if an outfield player deliberately handles the
ball in the same position.
When the goalkeeper in this scenario, first handles the ball (inside of his
own penalty area), he does it deliberately; and as long as he remains inside
of the penalty area, he commits no offence. If his momentum takes him

outside of his penalty area, and he continues to handle the ball, then it is
still deliberate. Goalkeepers know all about the consequences of handling
outside of their penalty area. If he does not release the ball before he
travels outside of his penalty area, there are no rules that allow him any
dispensation. The penalty area lines are there for a purpose, and they
cannot be ignored for any reason. It makes no odds if the goalkeeper
misjudged his area, or if he deliberately keeps hold of the ball - it is still an
offence.
The Referee should stop play, and award the attacking team a direct free
kick, at the place where the goalkeeper deliberately handled the ball,
outside of the penalty area.
In the back of the 'Laws of Association Football', is a chapter entitled,
"Additional Instructions for Referees, Assistant Referees and Fourth
Officials", where you can find the following information concerning
misconduct:
Deliberately handling the ball
Referees are reminded that deliberately handling the ball is normally
punished only by a direct free kick or penalty kick if the offence occurred
inside the penalty area. A caution or dismissal is not normally required.
Preventing a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
A player is sent off, however, if he prevents a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball. This punishment in
Law arises not from the act of the player deliberately handling the ball but
from the unacceptable and unfair intervention which prevented a goal
being scored.
Cautions for unsporting behaviour by deliberately handling the ball
There are circumstances when, in addition to a free kick being awarded, a
player must also be cautioned for unsporting behaviour e.g. when a player:

deliberately and blatantly handles the ball to prevent an opponent

gaining possession

attempts to score a goal by deliberately handling the ball .

Question 11: In a Women's Over-30 Recreational League game, a league in

which I have never seen either a yellow or red card issued by a referee, the
goalkeeper came out and missed the ball, a defender then blocked a shot
on the goal-line with her hand clearly visible to all, the ball dropped down
and was poked into the net by an attacker.
What options are there for the referee?
1. Red card to defender and a goal to the other team?

2. Just a goal and no card?

3. Red card to defender, no goal and a penalty kick to the attacking team?
What should have been the call taking the kind of league into account?
Answer 11: Assuming that the Referee was astute enough to delay blowing
the whistle before the ball travelled into the goal, the Referee should
allow the goal to count, and caution the defender for unsporting behaviour
(for deliberately handling the ball). The award of a goal is a much better
outcome for the attacking team than a penalty kick, which might be
missed!
But please note, deliberately handling the ball is not a mandatory caution,
but in this situation, an attempt was made to prevent an opponent from
gaining possession of the ball and a goal being scored. An FA Assessor would
expect at least a caution to be issued; so a yellow card in this instance is
highly recommended.
Referees should always strive to keep the players on the field of play
whenever they can, by doing the least that is necessary to control each
situation, hence, to award a penalty kick would have been rather harsh,
and the defender would have had to be sent off for denying a goal.
You ask What should have been the call taking the kind of league into
account?
A Referee is allowed to use some discretion, and I have seen Referees give
a stern warning rather than a caution in similar circumstances. But that is a
decision that the individual Referee makes, when he takes all the
circumstances into consideration.
Blasphemously plagiarized from;
http://www.corshamref.org.uk/laws.htm

Oak Ridges Soccer Club, Maurice Simeoni, Referee Director.