Protection on Fair Play – Comments on Laws of the Game 2019/20

Law 03 – The Players

To replace a player with a substitute, the following must be observed:

l  the referee must be informed before any substitution is made

l  The player being substituted receives the referee’s permission to leave the field of play, unless already off the field

l  The player being replaced is not obliged to leave at the halfway line

l  If a player who is to be replaced refuses to leave, play continues

To replace a player with a substitute, the following must be observed:

l  the referee must be informed before any substitution is made

l  The player being substituted:

Ø  receives the referee’s permission to leave the field of play, unless already off the field, and must leave by the nearest point on the boundary line unless the referee indicates that the player may leave directly and immediately at the halfway line or another point (e.g. for safety/security or injury)

Ø  Must go immediately to the technical area or dressing room

l If a player who is to be substituted refuses to leave, play continues

It is often seen in a match that when the leading team makes substitution at the end of the match, the player to be substituted, whether at the bottom line or at another boundary line, will slowly cross the whole field to reach the position of substitution, in order to achieve the purpose of wasting time. This is not conducive to the fluency of the game, and will also cause the disputes and conflicts with the other team lagging behind.

The New Laws have been amended to indicate that the substituted player must leave by the nearest point on the boundary line and must go immediately to the technical area of dressing room, unless there is any special reason (for safety or injury). It will be helpful to reduce the player’s behavior of wasting time, increase the net game time and improve the game’s brilliance.

None

In recent years, many teams have designed new and complex tactics on free kicks to improve the chances of scoring. Among them, it is most common for the attacking team to arrange for players to interfere with or in the ‘wall’ of the defending team, but may cause additional conflicts due to the preemption of the position, which will affect the progress of the game.

Under the New Laws, it will be difficult for the attacking team to arrange for the interference tactics, which may reduce the possibility of additional disputes with the defending team.

Law 08 – The Start and Restart of Play

Law 09 – The Ball in and out of Play

None

When the ball touches a match official, remains on the field of play and:

l  A team starts a promising attack; or

l  The ball goes directly into the goal; or

l  The team in possession of the ball changes,

The ball is out of play and play is restarted with a dropped ball for one player of the team that last touched the ball at the position where it last touched a match official.

There are occasions when the ball accidentally hits the referee in passing and shooting by one team, which leads to the change in possession of the ball and even directly result in the goal. In the original Laws, the game shall continue and the goal is effective. Though the affected team is dissatisfied, it has to suffer a hidden loss.

Under the New Laws, this situation will lead to the suspension of the game and play is restarted with a dropped ball, which safeguards the interests of the affected team, avoids the unexpected influence of the referee on the course of the game and protects the fairness of the game.

Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball with the hand or arm.

The following must be considered:

l  the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)

l  the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)

l  the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an offence

It is an offence if a player:

l deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, including moving the hand/arm towards the ball

l  gains possession/control of the ball after it has touched their hand/arm and then:

Ø  scores in the opponents’ goal

Ø  creates a goal-scoring opportunity

l  scores in the opponents’ goal directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the goalkeeper

It is usually an offence if a player:

l  touches the ball with their hand/arm when:

Ø  the hand/arm has made their body unnaturally bigger

Ø  the hand/arm is above/beyond their shoulder level (unless the player deliberately plays the ball which then touches their hand/arm)

It is not usually an offence if the ball touches a player’s hand/arm:

l  directly from the player’s own head or body (including the foot)

l  directly from the head or body (including the foot) of another player who is close

l  if the hand/arm is close to the body and does not make the body unnaturally bigger

l  when a player falls and the hand/arm is between the body and the ground to support the body, but not extended laterally or vertically away from the body

The identification of the handball offence has always been the most controversial issue in football matches. In the previous version of the Laws of the Game, the determination of the handball offence was focused on “intent” and emphasized subjective intention.   But in practice, it is difficult to judge whether “hand moves towards ball” or “ball moves towards hand” in many cases, so there is more confusion occurring.  Even for the “unintentional” handball, if it directly causes one score, it damages the fairness of the game to some extent.

The New Laws adjust the focus of determining handball offence from “intention” to “result”, and pay more attention to the impact of handball offence. The basic principle is that the handball, whether deliberately or unintentionally, is usually regarded as an offence if it gains inappropriate benefits, which reduces the possibility of disputes regarding the referee’s determination.