Question Number: 19574

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 7/5/2008

RE: Adult

Kirk LeCompte of Lawrence Township, NJ USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16530

As a training tool, without questioning the ref's opinion in this particular game, I'd like to focus on a defender's attempt (as in the situation described) to deliberately make contact with the ball with her foot. Clearly she was trying to trap or deflect or in some way play the ball to her team's advantage. She succeeded in making contact with the ball using her foot. Immediately after this success, the ball hit her outstretched arm. The immediate consequence of her deliberate behavior to play the ball was that it struck her arm. The ball didn't bounce oddly off the ground, or ricochet off an opponent, rather the ball went directly from her foot to her arm. Certainly it's reasonable to think she didn't want this to happen, but that would just be a guess. The fact that she had time to execute her skills to play the ball is without question. A ref might conclude that the subsequent handling was avoidable. My point is, that had the ref called 'handling the ball,' I think we could agree that his opinion is just as understandable as the ref who didn't see it that way.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Kirk you are over thinking the events. Referees who give handling in this instance are sadly misinformed. Those who do not are correct. Your focus on an event that has nothing to do with deliberately handles the ball clouds your judgement. Each event must be taken in turn and once evaluated the event becomes an historical fact then we go on to the next event.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I would have to disagree with you quite strongly. All the player in question did was deliberately play the ball with her foot. From the information given she did NOT deliberately play the ball with her hand. The ball flying off her foot is no different than the ball bouncing off the ground and I would have a problem with a referee deciding this was somehow deliberately handling the ball

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Contact alone is never a reason to see a ball hitting the hand as a foul. The deliberate action must entail the placement of the hands or arms as a result of trying to deliberately play the ball. Sometimes a person cannot prevent an instinct to slap or knock a ball down that is close to the arm because they are trying to push it away. As an opinion the referee must see the attempt a a deliberate action the fact a deflection has a favourable result plays no part in a decision.
Cheers