Hey Ref!

That was a handball!

Didn't you see it?

The defender gained an advantage!

He didn't call it!

He must be blind!

Or he doesn't know the rules!

Sounds all too familiar, doesn't it?

The fact is, this is in a game from the 2002 World Cup, Germany v USA. The score was 1-0 for Germany
at the time, and many people would say the German defender Torsten Frings has clearly committed a
'handball' on the goal line, preventing a goal by USA.

Or has he?

The real facts:

• There is no such thing as 'handball' in soccer. (That is in a different sport -called Handball!)
• The referee was Hugh Dallas (Scotland) - one of the best in the World.
• He DID see the play.
• In his opinion, the contact did not constitute 'handles the ball deliberately' (Law 12).
• He allowed play to continue.
• On reviewing the game, FIFA backed up Mr. Dallas in his 'non-call'.

This is a perfect example of how 'handling the ball' is supposed to be called, (or not called).

How often do we hear 'Hey ref, that was a handball'?

Technically, there is no such call as 'handball', and this is where a lot of the confusion arises. Law 12 (or rule
12 in indoor), states that one of the penal offences (fouls) is 'handles the ball deliberately'. No matter how hard
you look, you will see no reference in the Law to 'gaining an advantage' by handling the ball, although that is
sometimes the appeal that gets made. It's pretty straightforward - if it's deliberate, it's a foul, anything else and
play should continue. "But it was in the penalty area", is another comment often heard. Still doesn't matter,
unless it's deliberate of course.

So how do referees know if it is deliberate, without being mind readers? One guide they use - did it look like
'ball to hand' or 'hand to ball'? The latter is the one that needs to be called.

The real question that needs to be asked, is why there are any 'handballs' called that apparently should not
be? One reason is that inexperienced referees find this is an easy call to make, and one that few people argue
with. The referees who get this call right, however, can often be heard to say "No intent, keep playing", and that
is the key - if there was no intent to handle the ball deliberately, we should keep playing.