At the time of writing, Luis Campos has probably still not digested the decision of François Letexier, the referee of this PSG – OL (0-1). The Parisian club’s football adviser, not exactly a Zen master, showed his anger after a penalty was not awarded to the still leader of the championship on Sunday evening, following a handball by Dejan Lovren just before the end of the first half (45th + 2).
The score was then 0-0, and Lyon captain Alexandre Lacazette had missed a penalty a few minutes earlier. On the contentious action, therefore, Nuno Mendes is served in depth by Lionel Messi, at the angle of 6 meters from Lyon. The left piston controls from the left then immediately crosses from the right, “riping” his ball a little, which ricochets off the mimine of the Croatian defender, very close to the Portuguese. After a quick contact with the VAR via his headset, the referee does not reconsider his decision not to award a penalty and asks the Parisians to play a corner.
And the regulations of the International Football Association Board (Ifab), the guardian of the game, what does it say? In March 2021, the authority had wished clarify the rules on hand faultsproof that the subject is complicated.
“Artificial augmentation” or not?
“A contact between the ball and the arm or the hand of a player does not necessarily constitute an infraction, reminded Ifab. Regarding the “artificial increase in body surface”, it was confirmed that referees should continue to analyze the validity of the position of the hand or arm vis-à-vis the general movement of the player in the specific situation. »
For there to be a hand fault, and therefore a penalty if it takes place in the area, the player must:
– “deliberately touches the ball with his arm or hand, for example by moving his arm or hand towards the ball”;
– “touches the ball with his arm or hand having artificially increased the area covered by his body”, in other words “when the position of his arm or hand is not a consequence of the movement of his body in this situation specific or is not justifiable by such a movement”.
François Letexier and his VAR colleagues judged that Lovren, whose hand is obviously involuntary, did not have a reprehensible bodily attitude. Yet another proof that video will never solve all football’s problems, even after 1,000 views of the same action.