IFAB to clarify handball by removing the word “deliberately”

A surprising proposal is expected to be put up for discussion which would mean that penalty kicks are “one shot” – and that there will be no rebounds if the kick is saved or strikes the goal-frame and bounces back into play. If such a change was made it would mean that the ball would be deemed “dead” once the keeper had blocked the penalty and a goal kick would be awarded. It would be the same as in kicks from the penalty mark and would do away with the problem of players encroaching. The change would be controversial and comes under the second category of proposals to be discussed. The IFAB panel comprises the four home associations, which have one vote each, and FIFA, which has four votes. Law changes require at least six votes, but this meeting is only to decide what to take forward to the IFAB’s annual general meeting in March.

There appears to be a far greater consensus that the handball law is unsatisfactory. In the Laws of the Game under Law 12, Fouls and Misconduct, it is stated that a free kick or penalty kick is awarded if a player “handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)”. What counts as “deliberately” has continually stirred up debate. There is no description of what constitutes deliberate handball, which places the responsibility on the referee and his assistants. The wording in the FA’s rules ads that “distance between the opponent and ball” should be taken into consideration, but the onus on what constitutes deliberate still lies with the officials. It appears that the change, if put forward, would remove the word “deliberately” and define handball as to do with the hand or arm being in an unnatural position at the point of contact. Agreeing what is an unnatural position might also be tricky, but one proposal is for it to be defined as if the ball strikes the arm above shoulder height. It would also be an offence if the ball hits the arm below shoulder height but in an unnatural position, which could be defined as more than eight o’clock or four o’clock from the body. Any goal scored after striking the arm of an attacking player would be disallowed. One issue that will be raised is the concern that attacking players could aim the ball at the arm of a defender to gain an advantage.

There are two IFAB advisory panels – one football and one technical. The football panel is made up of former players, former and current coaches, technical directors, the Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) and experts from confederations. The technical panel is formed by former referees from all the confederations. It has already been revealed that the IFAB advisory panels will discuss whether substitutions during injury time should be stopped or limited to try to avoid time-wasting. There is a fear that it has almost become a tactic for managers. Another measure under consideration is that any player who is substituted has to leave the pitch via the closest touchline rather than walk to the technical area. Some managers waste time by telling players to go as far away as possible from the technical area before they are taken off and then to head for the bench as slowly as possible.

Source: Telegraph