Not Hand Ball - Deliberate Handling
Taken from a OPL Referee Email.
12.9 DELIBERATE HANDLING
The offense known as "handling the ball" involves deliberate contact with the ball by a player's hand or arm (including fingertips, upper arm, or outer shoulder). "Deliberate contact" means that the player could have avoided the touch but chose not to, that player's arms were not in a normal playing position at the time, or that the player deliberately continued an initially accidental contact for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage. Moving hands or arms instinctively to protect the body when suddenly faced with a fast approaching ball does not constitute deliberate contact unless there is subsequent action to direct the ball once contact is made. Likewise, placing hands or arms to protect the body at a free kick or similar restart is not likely to produce an infringe ment unless there is subsequent action to direct or control the ball. The fact that a player may benefit from the ball contacting the hand does not transform the otherwise accidental event into an infringement. A player infringes the Law regarding handling the ball even if direct contact is avoided by holding something in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.). (taken from the US Soccer publication, Advice To Referees) In addition, US Soccer has produced the following to further examine the characteristics of Handling the Ball. Keys to Identifying Handling the Ball There are several key criteria referees should use to determine whether contact between a player&r squo;s hand/arm and the ball constitutes a foul for handling. Many of the criteria have formed the foundation of referee identification of handlingOffenses for years. Despite this foundation, handling criteria continue to be applied inconsistently.Going forward, additional criteria will to be considered by officials in determining contact by the ball with the hand/arm is, in fact, a handling offense. For example: Did the player make himself bigger?
The following 5 criteria should be the primary factors considered by the referee:
1. Making yourself bigger This refers to the placement of the arm(s)/hand(s) of the defending player at the time the ball is played by the opponent. Should an arm/hand be in a position that takes away space from the team with the ball and the ball contacts the arm/hand, the referee should interpret this contact as handling. Referees should interpret this action as the defender “deliberately” putting his arm/hand in a position in order to reduce the options of the opponent(like spreading your arms wide to take away the passing lane of an attacker).
• Does the defender use his hand/arm as a barrier?
• Does the defender use his hand/arm to take away space and/or t he passing lane from the opponent?
• Does the defender use his hand/arm to occupy more space by extending his reach or extendingThe ability of his body to play the ball thereby benefiting from the extension(s)?
2. Is the arm or hand in an “unnatural position?” Is the arm or hand in a position that is not normal or natural for a player performing the task at hand.
3. Did the player “benefit?” In considering all the “signs” described above, t he referee should alsoConsider the result of the player’s (usually a defender) action. Did the defender’s action (handling of the ball) deny an opportunity (for example, a pass or shot on goal) that would have otherwise been available to the opponent? Did the offending player gain an unfair tactical advantage fromContact with the hand/arm, which enabled him to retain possession? In other words: Did the player benefit by putting his hand/arm in an “unnatural position?” The referee needs to be able toQuickly calculate the result of the player’s action to determine whether an offence has been committed. After applying the aforementioned criteria, if the referee is still uncertain as to whether handling the ball has occurred, the referee should then incorporate the following two criteria as part of his decision making process:
4. Reaction TimeThe less time a defender has to react, the less likely there has been a handling offense .For example, a ball struck from a close distance, or a very fast moving ball, or a ball coming in from a direction which is outside the defender’s view gives little or no time for the defender’s reaction to be “deliberate.” The referee must take into consideration whether the defender’s reaction is purely instinctive, taken to protect sensitive areas of the body as the face. Distance is a factor inDetermining “reaction time.” The further the ball, the more reaction time a play may have.
5. Hand/arm to ballReferees must be ready to judge whether the player moved his arm to the ball thereby initiating the contact. Additionally, the referee should evaluate whether the player deliberately readjusted his body position to block the ball thus intentionally playing the ball with his hand/arm.
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12.9 DELIBERATE HANDLING
The offense known as "handling the ball" involves deliberate contact with the ball by a player's hand or arm (including fingertips, upper arm, or outer shoulder). "Deliberate contact" means that the player could have avoided the touch but chose not to, that player's arms were not in a normal playing position at the time, or that the player deliberately continued an initially accidental contact for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage. Moving hands or arms instinctively to protect the body when suddenly faced with a fast approaching ball does not constitute deliberate contact unless there is subsequent action to direct the ball once contact is made. Likewise, placing hands or arms to protect the body at a free kick or similar restart is not likely to produce an infringe ment unless there is subsequent action to direct or control the ball. The fact that a player may benefit from the ball contacting the hand does not transform the otherwise accidental event into an infringement. A player infringes the Law regarding handling the ball even if direct contact is avoided by holding something in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.). (taken from the US Soccer publication, Advice To Referees) In addition, US Soccer has produced the following to further examine the characteristics of Handling the Ball. Keys to Identifying Handling the Ball There are several key criteria referees should use to determine whether contact between a player&r squo;s hand/arm and the ball constitutes a foul for handling. Many of the criteria have formed the foundation of referee identification of handlingOffenses for years. Despite this foundation, handling criteria continue to be applied inconsistently.Going forward, additional criteria will to be considered by officials in determining contact by the ball with the hand/arm is, in fact, a handling offense. For example: Did the player make himself bigger?
The following 5 criteria should be the primary factors considered by the referee:
1. Making yourself bigger This refers to the placement of the arm(s)/hand(s) of the defending player at the time the ball is played by the opponent. Should an arm/hand be in a position that takes away space from the team with the ball and the ball contacts the arm/hand, the referee should interpret this contact as handling. Referees should interpret this action as the defender “deliberately” putting his arm/hand in a position in order to reduce the options of the opponent(like spreading your arms wide to take away the passing lane of an attacker).
• Does the defender use his hand/arm as a barrier?
• Does the defender use his hand/arm to take away space and/or t he passing lane from the opponent?
• Does the defender use his hand/arm to occupy more space by extending his reach or extendingThe ability of his body to play the ball thereby benefiting from the extension(s)?
2. Is the arm or hand in an “unnatural position?” Is the arm or hand in a position that is not normal or natural for a player performing the task at hand.
3. Did the player “benefit?” In considering all the “signs” described above, t he referee should alsoConsider the result of the player’s (usually a defender) action. Did the defender’s action (handling of the ball) deny an opportunity (for example, a pass or shot on goal) that would have otherwise been available to the opponent? Did the offending player gain an unfair tactical advantage fromContact with the hand/arm, which enabled him to retain possession? In other words: Did the player benefit by putting his hand/arm in an “unnatural position?” The referee needs to be able toQuickly calculate the result of the player’s action to determine whether an offence has been committed. After applying the aforementioned criteria, if the referee is still uncertain as to whether handling the ball has occurred, the referee should then incorporate the following two criteria as part of his decision making process:
4. Reaction TimeThe less time a defender has to react, the less likely there has been a handling offense .For example, a ball struck from a close distance, or a very fast moving ball, or a ball coming in from a direction which is outside the defender’s view gives little or no time for the defender’s reaction to be “deliberate.” The referee must take into consideration whether the defender’s reaction is purely instinctive, taken to protect sensitive areas of the body as the face. Distance is a factor inDetermining “reaction time.” The further the ball, the more reaction time a play may have.
5. Hand/arm to ballReferees must be ready to judge whether the player moved his arm to the ball thereby initiating the contact. Additionally, the referee should evaluate whether the player deliberately readjusted his body position to block the ball thus intentionally playing the ball with his hand/arm.
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