Most Balls That contact the Hand or NOT Handling Violations
Illegal Handling
Handling was a revision FIFA made in the late 1990’s that affected the old “hand ball rule” that players and parents are so attached to. The “Handling Rule” can be reviewed by going to the FIFA web site or by Googling “FIFA Hand Ball Rule”.
In this rule it is stated that it is illegal for players, other than the goal keeper in the “box”, to DELIBERATELY HANDLE the ball with hand, arm or any portion of the outside of the shoulder.
It is extremely important to note that ADVANTAGE is not referenced in this rule. Where the ball goes, who gets it and whether a goal scores as a result have no bearing on the call of Handling.
The important point is that the act MUST be deliberate as seen by the REFEREE, NOT PLAYERS.
This goes back to the old reference of ball to hand or hand to ball. Players can be called for “handling” when, in the view of the referee, there was adequate time to move the hand thus resulting in a de-facto hand to ball move. Arms and hands in unnatural positions (other than at ones side) can be called for handling in instances when no attempt is made to avoid contact. Protection of sexually sensitive areas is generally not called for handling. Protecting the head/face can be called if the referee felt that there was adequate time to avoid the ball by moving the head.
If, in the view of the referee, a player has no time to react to a ball and the ball contacts the player on the hand, arm or outside shoulder, even if the player is in the box area, there is NO FOUL.
NON-DELIBERATE HANDLING IS NOT A FOUL!
Please cease with references to hand ball on the field, call it by its name for the last 10 years – Handling
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