The international rules committee IFAB is changing the hand rule in football. As of 1 July, all offensive hands will no longer be punishable, but it will be examined whether it directly or indirectly leads to a goal. If the player who accidentally hands scores himself, the goal is disallowed, but unintentional offensive hands leading up to a hit are no longer punishable.
That would mean that Davy Klaassen’s rejected goal on Wednesday in the semi-final of the TOTO KNVB Cup against sc Heerenveen (0-3 victory) did count. Ajax’s number ten tapped in an assist from Dusan Tadic on the goal line, who had unintentionally taken the ball with his arm just before. The goal was, as the current rules prescribe, rejected by the VAR, but would therefore count from 1 July.
Three days earlier there was controversy about the rejected goal by Yorbe Vertessen on behalf of PSV against Ajax (1-1). The Belgian attacker finished himself after accidental hands and was also called back by the VAR. Also with the new regulations, Vertessen’s goal would be disallowed, because there was a direct hit after offensive hands.
The IFAB also announces that it is in talks with FIFA about a possible adjustment of the offside rule. Currently, a player is considered offside if any part of his body reaches past the last defender at the time the pass is sent. This includes all parts with which the player can score, including the top of the arm to the bottom of the armpit. Timo Werner saw such a goal disallowed on Thursday against Liverpool (0-1 win), because the Chelsea striker would have passed the last defender with his arm.
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