When is handball not an offence?

[MumRef]

Hello all. In the notes from my referee course a couple of years ago I wrote that handball is not an offence if it comes from the opposite team at close range or if it touches their arm directly from their body. But I can't find these in the laws. Was it just advice on probabilities from the instructor or are these actually laws?

 

[ChasObserverRefDeveloper]

Hello all. In the notes from my referee course a couple of years ago I wrote that handball is not an offence if it comes from the opposite team at close range or if it touches their arm directly from their body. But I can't find these in the laws. Was it just advice on probabilities from the instructor or are these actually laws?

In cases of close proximity the referee needs to decide whether the player deliberately handled, or did the ball hit them with no chance of evading it. First is a free kick, second is not.
Law has changed since your course, but if the ball hits another part of the player's anatomy and then their arm, the likelihood at the level at which you referee is that the ball hitting the arm or hand is going to be accidental.
Congratulations on writing notes during the course and keeping them - I wish all course participants would do so

 

[MumRef]

In cases of close proximity the referee needs to decide whether the player deliberately handled, or did the ball hit them with no chance of evading it. First is a free kick, second is not.
Law has changed since your course, but if the ball hits another part of the player's anatomy and then their arm, the likelihood at the level at which you referee is that the ball hitting the arm or hand is going to be accidental.
Congratulations on writing notes during the course and keeping them - I wish all course participants would do so

Thank you. I'm literally very old school!

 

[Peter Grove]

Hello all. In the notes from my referee course a couple of years ago I wrote that handball is not an offence if it comes from the opposite team at close range or if it touches their arm directly from their body. But I can't find these in the laws. Was it just advice on probabilities from the instructor or are these actually laws?

A couple of years ago, there were such provisions in the law. However the law on handling offences has changed several times since then. As you rightly point out the current law uses different criteria so those are the ones you should stick to now.