A defending team player who is on the field of play, close to the touchline, deliberately handles the ball as it is going past them (with no opponents nearby), preventing it from leaving the field of play. Otherwise, the ball would have gone out for a throw-in to the opposing team. What is the referee’s decision?

Question

Accepted Answer

Any deliberate handball is penalised with a direct free kick; however, no disciplinary sanction is required because the player’s offence did not stop a promising attack or deny the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.