IFAB proposes changes to offside rule
Changes to the offside law have been discussed at a meeting of football’s lawmakers with a view to favouring the attacker, according to BBC.
The use of video assistant referees has resulted in several controversial borderline calls this season. But at a meeting of IFAB’s football and technical panels on Monday, talks were held about making the law “more attractive and dynamic”.
During the video conference meeting chaired by IFAB director and Football Association of Wales chief executive Jonathan Ford, it was also accepted that the interpretation of handball incidents “has not always been consistent” and the panel supported further clarification.
It was re-emphasised that the final judgment remains with the referee and not every touch of a player’s hand or arm with the ball is an offence.
After his team’s defeat by Tottenham on Sunday, which saw Gabriel Jesus’ goal ruled out for handball, Manchester City captain Kevin de Bruyne said:
“I don’t know the rules anymore honestly. I’ve been playing professional football for 12 years and in the first nine years there were no rule changes. Now there are a lot of rule changes. I don’t know why. Football is a nice game.”
Regarding the offside law, it was made clear that if any concrete proposal was to be considered, it would also “need to be applicable at all levels of the game” and that “trials would be necessary before a law change could be proposed”.
