The default starting position should always be that it isn't handball

Unless you think a defender has deliberately tried to use his arms to play the ball.
If an attacker plays the ball where a defender's arms naturally are (which is rarely "by their side") then that's on the attacker, not the defender, and shouldn't be an offence.

Posted By: mr carra on May 11th 2026 at 15:26:57

Message Thread

On penalties and handballs - a better solution (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, May 11, 15:06:28
- doh - continued (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, May 11, 15:11:25
  - I think the current rule is fine, but applied badly (Other Football) - jamesward, May 11, 16:16:41
    - disagree with this quite a bit (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, May 11, 16:59:41
      - Because refs aren’t mind readers (Other Football) - Old Git, May 11, 18:03:26
        
        Always used to be the rule (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, May 11, 18:26:32
        
        I think if your arm is above your head it’s handball (Other Football) - jamesward, May 11, 18:40:19
  - A lawyer writes: (Other Football) - Old Git, May 11, 15:51:16
    - We'll have to agree to disagree (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, May 11, 15:55:58
      - Well I guess if you added on “deliberate” as well as “unnatural it might help (Other Football) - Old Git, May 11, 15:59:45
  - The default starting position should always be that it isn't handball (Other Football) - mr carra, May 11, 15:26:57
    - Yep, agreed (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, May 11, 15:41:04
      - You never used to see defenders put their arms behind their backs. (n/m) (Other Football) - MORDENCANARY, May 11, 15:59:46
        
        I think it’s a good thing that they do that (Other Football) - Old Git, May 11, 16:02:57

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