A website for people that like indoor soccer, from beginners to experienced, from little kids to masters, players or referees, administrators and fans.

Come in, and enjoy the game!!

Indoor Soccer US

RSS

HANDBALL IS NOT A FOUL!: Every day, parents, coaches and players are repeating the same: “Handball! Handball, ref!!”, and, sometime many referees are listening them and call “handball”.

AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) say: Most ”non-referee” attendees at soccer games are confused about the apparent lack of consistency both during a game and from game to game concerning “obvious” instances of “handball” that are not penalized by referees...but The Laws of the Game decree that only “handles the ball deliberately” is aninfraction (foul). If it is not deliberate it is not a foul!.

At this time we can read the “Advice to Referees on The Laws of the Game”, a publication from USSF (United State Soccer Federation”:

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 the 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 infringement 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, shinguards, etc.).

Jim Allen, a National Referees Instructor, say: “In the case of accidental contact between the ball and the hand or arm, even if the ball drops to the benefit of the player who made contact with it, you must not penalize. Where there is no infraction, no infraction must be called!”.

I find interesting the State Referee Administrator for Virginia- Columbia resolution: “"The SRA doesn’t have the authority to change the rules of soccer," let me first assure you that you are right, he doesn’t, and, second, he hasn’t. Handball never has been a foul! The foul, as stated in Law 12, is "deliberately handles the ball." Handball, defined by many as, "contact between the hand and the ball" is not a foul, never has been, and referees are instructed not to call it a foul. Deliberate handling of the ball is a foul and referees are instructed to call it as such.

You can read and learn more about this topic, in sites listed below:

• What is a handball: http://www.tiburonsoccer.org/Referees/handball.htm

• 2005 USSF Memo regarding handling the ball: http://www.tiburonsoccer.org/Rules/ussf_handling_memo.htm

• SRA Declares No More Handball Fouls in Virginia and the District of Columbia : http://www.vadcsoccerref.com/whistletalk/57893.html

Make your question, by email

click here