Ipswich Town goalkeeper Alex Palmer was saved from being shown a red card courtesy of a little-known rule during his side’s 2-1 Premier League home defeat to Wolves on Saturday afternoon. The 28-year-old was at the centre of controversy when he used his hand to clear a back-pass off the line.
The Tractor Boys were 1-0 up at the time during the crucial relegation battle fixture, and the away supporters were miffed as to why he was not dismissed by referee Peter Bankes. Instead, he awarded an indirect free-kick.
Kieran McKenna’s side – who later went on to lose 2-1 in their struggle to beat the drop zone -passed the ball back to Palmer, but he miscontrolled the ball. It was about to roll over the line before the stopper chased back and scooped it up with his hands inside 34 minutes. However, the rules state that Palmer’s actions didn’t even warrant a caution.
Despite the confusion among Wolves supporters, the rules state that Palmer’s handball isn’t a bookable offence. This comes after some high-profile names in football called out the rule for not giving the opposition enough of an advantage.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) who set the laws of the game, state that if a goalkeeper handles a backpass, “an indirect free kick is awarded and no card is shown.” The FA’s guidance is also clear: “If the goalkeeper handles the ball inside their penalty area when not permitted to do so, an indirect free kick is awarded, but there is no disciplinary sanction.”
