Liam Scales has voiced his uncertainty regarding the handball regulations after a contentious judgment during Celtic’s most recent game.
This ambiguity follows Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers’ harsh criticism of the match referees, who singled out John Beaton for his involvement in the VAR call during the contest.
Tomoki Iwata and Alistair Johnston engaged in a heated altercation as they sought to stop a ball that had floated into the box and struck Iwata’s elbow without his knowledge. Celtic was given a penalty despite Iwata’s lack of awareness or intent; Beaton’s evaluation via VAR appeared to be the only factor in support of this decision.
Scales acknowledged, “Some might be,” in response to a question concerning players’ understanding of the handball rule. I’m not being serious. It caught me off guard. Particularly after seeing it again, nobody on the field was even aware that it had occurred. [Television Celtic]
This ambiguity highlights a larger problem in the game that has confused and frustrated players, coaches, and fans alike: the consistency and interpretation of handball offenses.
The incident and the responses that followed bring to light the ongoing discussions around the application of VAR in football, especially with regard to the interpretation of rules that appear to differ amongst match officials.
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