Never a pen

[Woodwardfan]

Everybody knows handballs don't have to be deliberate to be given.

If that was the case penalties for handballs would only be given when players handle on the line to prevent a certain goal.

I'm no referee Ricky but I think the rule is that handball has to be deliberate to be a penalty or a foul. It's the guideline and referees code, which was brought in about three years ago, that reinforced the adaptation that it was deemed deliberate handball if the defender has his arms in an unnatural position and gained an advantage. You are right to say penalties are given for handballs which are not intentional and that is the rationale.

Handball by an arm in an unnatural position for self protection should not be given as a foul. Deliberate handball by an arm in a natural position can also be given as a penalty anywhere in the area for obvious reasons.

All these variations of a theme about deliberate handball lead to the many controversial decisions made by referees on the spur of the moment and lead to inconsistencies; arms can be in unnatural positions for many reasons other than hoping to gain an advantage. Who'd be a referee?

 

[Ricky]

They make a rod for their own back by having any concrete rule about handball. They should just leave it at the referee's discretion.

 

[super_pig]

I'm no referee Ricky but I think the rule is that handball has to be deliberate to be a penalty or a foul. It's the guideline and referees code, which was brought in about three years ago, that reinforced the adaptation that it was deemed deliberate handball if the defender has his arms in an unnatural position and gained an advantage. You are right to say penalties are given for handballs which are not intentional and that is the rationale.

Handball by an arm in an unnatural position for self protection should not be given as a foul. Deliberate handball by an arm in a natural position can also be given as a penalty anywhere in the area for obvious reasons.

All these variations of a theme about deliberate handball lead to the many controversial decisions made by referees on the spur of the moment and lead to inconsistencies; arms can be in unnatural positions for many reasons other than hoping to gain an advantage. Who'd be a referee?

that's the point though woody.. it looked 'totally' deliberate

 

[Woodwardfan]

that's the point though woody.. it looked 'totally' deliberate

His left leg slides away from him and he can't jump and his reaction is involuntary, given the kindest interpretation of it. I think the ref had some sympathy for him and only booked him though it could be argued he prevented a goal-scoring opportunity. Hey I think it was a penalty.