IFAB clarify handball and VAR protocol

The International Football Association Board released a statement with the main changes to the laws of the game and further clarification for incidents such as handball.

This caused a great deal of confusion and controversy this season, so there is specific explanation of the caveats surrounding ‘accidental’ handball.

“Accidental handball by an attacking player should only be penalised if it ‘immediately’ results in a goal or an obvious opportunity for the player and/or their team to score a goal (i.e. following the handball, the ball travels only a short distance and/or there are very few passes). For the purposes of determining handball offences, the ‘arm’ stops at the bottom of the armpit.”

This means that some goals disallowed during the current campaign for an 'accidental' handball in the build-up will be valid for next term.