Bobby Madden has jumped to the defence of Connor Goldson and referee Steven McLean after a handball claim in the first half of Rangers and Celtic.
The experienced referee was reviewing the first half at Ibrox that had Todd Cantwell and John Souttar goals putting the hosts into a healthy half-time lead. A flashpoint emerged at the end of the half though as the Celtic camp shouted for a penalty when the ball appeared to flick off Rangers defender Goldson's hand as the first 45 came to its conclusion.
Whistler McLean didn't call for a spot-kick and VAR backed him up, with former official Madden telling Sportsound why that decision was made. He explained: "I think from a refereeing perspective he will be very happy. I think everyone predicted this could be played like a friendly and I think when you see in the first half of an Old Firm there is only nine fouls, that tells its own story.
"There have been two big decisions. One, an offside call correctly allowed to continue by the main stand assistant. Then there was the potential penalty for handball by Goldson.
"In that one, people will potentially say the arm is away from the body. But any supporting arm on the ground or the arm going to support the player on the ground is not considered deliberate handball so it is not a handball offence. VAR would have checked that and with that criteria, would have advised the referee it was the correct decision."
IFAB's rules on handball state: For the purposes of determining handball offences, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit. Not every touch of a player’s hand/arm with the ball is an offence.
It is an offence if a player deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, for example moving the hand/arm towards the ball. Touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger.
"A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation. By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalised
"Scores in the opponents’ goal directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the goalkeeper immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if accidental. Deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, for example moving the hand/arm towards the ball.
"Touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger. A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation.
"By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalised. Scores in the opponents’ goal directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the goalkeeper. Immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if accidental."
