{"id":567542,"date":"2020-09-29T16:12:48","date_gmt":"2020-09-29T20:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=567542"},"modified":"2020-09-29T16:12:48","modified_gmt":"2020-09-29T20:12:48","slug":"lets-not-muck-about-new-handball-law-is-a-product-of-var","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2020\/09\/29\/lets-not-muck-about-new-handball-law-is-a-product-of-var\/","title":{"rendered":"Let’s Not Muck About: New Handball Law is a Product of VAR"},"content":{"rendered":"

At first, it all looked innocuous, as it initially always does. Crystal Palace<\/a> had a chance to double their lead at Old Trafford, but Jordan Ayew\u2019s shot was blocked by Victor Lindelof and Manchester United<\/a> thought they had gotten away with it. Except they hadn\u2019t, as VAR called back Martin Atkinson to check for handball, and Atkinson pointed to the spot after checking out the monitor, to help Palace to a win<\/a>. But, looking at the replays, you could almost wonder Ayew deliberately struck it onto Lindelof\u2019s arm.<\/p>\n

Of course, it seems like a daft conspiracy theory, but we can\u2019t rule anything out with this handball law. For many, it\u2019s the primary source of ire at the moment. When Palace were on the other end of the rule this weekend against Everton<\/a>, Roy Hodgson didn\u2019t hide his disdain<\/a>. “I just don\u2019t understand how we\u2019ve allowed it to happen”, said the Eagles manager.<\/p>\n

New Handball Law is a Product of VAR<\/h2>\n

Outrage at the Handball Law<\/h3>\n

If Hodgson\u2019s criticism reeked of hypocrisy, Steve Bruce\u2019s definitely didn\u2019t, as he still moaned about the rule<\/a> despite the fact that his Newcastle United<\/a> side benefitted from the rule against Tottenham Hotspur<\/a> on Sunday. “If you\u2019re going to tell me that is handball then we all may as well pack it in”, said the Newcastle manager. “It\u2019s a nonsense, a nonsense of a rule. It\u2019s gone for us today \u2013 however, it\u2019s ludicrous.”<\/p>\n

From Crystal Palace and Newcastle to the Spanish divisions and Serie A (peep Roma’s draw with Juventus<\/a> at the weekend), the handball law is causing vitriol. Of course, there are many who point out that this rule is another thing snuffing the life out of football, alongside VAR, and there\u2019ll be many who\u2019d rebut that with how this handball law isn\u2019t about the VAR, but the rules. However, let\u2019s not muck about – this law is very much about VAR.<\/p>\n

The Myths of VAR<\/strong><\/h3>\n

VAR was sold to us on some myths. The first is that refereeing decisions were awful, and ruining the game. Refereeing in its orthodox mould was outdated and impossible to govern football in the modern era. This wasn\u2019t helped by the fact that the media played their part. Soon, pundits and press alike spent time amplifying and dissecting refereeing decisions instead of talking about the game itself. Not to mention how the game became complicit in allowing referees to become targets of abuse, from both fans and players alike.<\/p>\n

Another myth of VAR was that its introduction would fix football. Football needed (and still needs) fixing, in terms of the financial inequality that has made a few go bad and go bust, while the rich get richer. But VAR\u2019s myth was \u2018football needs fixing on the pitch\u2019 \u2013 as we didn\u2019t seem to clock that this was ultimately a sport that couldn\u2019t be boxed; a sport that couldn’t be seen as black and white.<\/p>\n

Football and Finance<\/h3>\n

Plus, there was the over-egged importance placed towards outcomes in football. It became life and death. A decision wasn\u2019t something that might impact a game anymore, but rather affect the finances of clubs. Take Cardiff City’s<\/a> loss at Chelsea<\/a> in 2019, where many cited a questionable decision that could help relegate Cardiff from the Premier League. The influx of many made football more important than it was, simultaneously making it less appealing.<\/p>\n

Football became a financial product more than a sport. As a result, the Championship play-off final became less about football and more about being ‘the richest game in football’. The game became plagued with gambling and gambling organisations. Players became commodified and de-humanised. Matches became viewed through a financial lens.<\/p>\n

VAR and Handball Law<\/strong><\/h3>\n

But another myth around VAR \u2013 if not of<\/em> it \u2013 was the rule of \u2018clear and obvious\u2019. Football is not a sport of clear and obvious, it\u2019s not yes\/no game, but rather a subjective sport of perspectives. What\u2019s a foul? What\u2019s not? What\u2019s a red card? What\u2019s not?<\/p>\n

This is where the handball law comes in. Before the introduction, handball was still questionable \u2013 let\u2019s not pretend it wasn\u2019t. But it was less scrutinised, and the fact that it was left to the referee to decide recognised that it was subjective. The introduction of VAR, a system supposedly said to be about clear and obvious, was never to go work with it. Hence, re-definition of the rules. Football’s rules were readdressed to accommodate VAR\u2019s need for something to be clear and obvious, and as we\u2019ve seen, there\u2019s little much that\u2019s clear and obvious about football.<\/p>\n

VAR and Handball in the Future<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As many have noted out, whether you love it or hate it, VAR is very much here to stay. So, what does this mean for the handball law? Keep it, and the outrage continues, as the rule seems an incredibly simplistic setting in an incredibly layered sport. Bin it, and you get back to a stage in which you have a system to detect clear and obvious with rules that aren\u2019t clear and obvious.<\/p>\n

There doesn\u2019t seem to be a simple choice. And so, we ramble on, with endless outrage and continuous scrutiny, in a sport where everything seems increasingly policed.<\/p>\n

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Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>