Is it just me, or are football law-makers losing the plot?

The handball rule is being changed mid-season because it has proved unworkable and leading European clubs have been on the wrong end of correct decisions that appear harsh; there also seems to have been a need to define where the arm begins for offside decisions.

Have they lost sight of why these laws were introduced in the first place? The handball and offside laws exist to prevent a player deliberately seeking to gain an unfair advantage over an opponent. Why can’t we scrap VAR, ignore marginal (i.e: virtually level) offside calls, thus favouring the attacker, and just ignore accidental handballs?

This season in some divisions, the results of some games will be decided under different sets of rules.

[Argylegames]

Not coming in until July according to the BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56291850

Thanks for this. The BBC are reporting today that officials have been instructed to be ‘less strict’ in their interpretation of the existing law, which would suggest that the effect of the law will, in practice, be changed immediately. I would be annoyed if we were denied a penalty kick this weekend that would have been awarded last weekend but probably relived if we got away with one in our box.

Thanks for this. The BBC are reporting today that officials have been instructed to be ‘less strict’ in their interpretation of the existing law, which would suggest that the effect of the law will, in practice, be changed immediately. I would be annoyed if we were denied a penalty kick this weekend that would have been awarded last weekend but probably relived if we got away with one in our box.

Handball for giving penalties is not changing. The rule that is to be relaxed is the one where a goal is disallowed if the ball hits an attackers hand or arm which immediately leads to the goal. The incidence at Fulham v Spurs on Thursday being a perfect example.