Some years ago, I had a surprise telephone call from the producer of Match of the Day.
He had read my criticism of the BBC’s use of controversial decisions to publicise Match of the Day.
Earlier on a Saturday they would broadcast something like ‘Five controversial decisions at today’s Premier League, watch them on Match of the Day tonight’.
My point was that when these decisions were shown there was no one with a good enough knowledge of the laws of the game to discuss them, I suggested the use of a senior or retired referee.
Apparently, they had discussed my article at their Monday meeting and decided to ask Keith Hackett, then head of the PGMO, to come up with something , separate from the programme, to explain the relevant laws. Keith Hacket told me some time later that it never happened.
I mention this because of the Leicester City v Aston Villa controversy, on Match of the Day 2.
No referee was called in to adjudicate but presenter Mark Chapman said that they had phoned IFAB for their views and Mark actually held a copy of the laws in his hands.
By coincidence I had already started to write this week’s column, discussing amongst other things, the goalkeepers control of the ball,
This is important, for the laws say, a goalkeeper may not be challenged when he has control of the ball with his hands.
This is described as ‘the ball between the hands or between the hand and any surface (e.g. ground. own body), or by touching it with any part of his hands or arms except if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper has made a save *holding the ball in the outstretched hand,* bouncing the ball on the ground or throwing it in the air’.
Leicester’s goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, did make a save, knocking the ball down with his right hand and then firmly held it down on the ground with his outstretched left hand.
That’s when, the Aston Villa player kicked the ball into the goal. I completely agree with Michael Oliver’s decision, prompted by VAR, that it was against the law.
But also I have sympathy with Mark Chapman, for I feel the mention of the ball rebounding and making a save was not only confusing but unnecessary.
If the ball has rebounded surely it is no longer under his control and if he has made a save either he still has the ball, which means he can’t be challenged, or he has knocked it away in which case it’s not under his control.
Let’s hope that IFAB will review this for next season’s changes to the laws.
By Dick Sawdon Smith
