Ex-FIFA official speaks out about Rangers handball controversy

Bobby Madden has dismissed the claims that Aberdeen should have been awarded a late penalty in the game against Rangers on Wednesday (7 February).

The ex-FIFA official posted footage of the alleged handballs from Connor Goldson on Instagram on Thursday (8 February), where he claimed neither incident was “punishable” and that the officials were right to not award the Dons a spot-kick.

He said the 31-year-old centre-back’s arm was in a “natural position” for the first incident, while he was falling to the ground as the ball hit him from a short distance on the second one, with his arm on the way down “supporting him” as the Gers secured a 2-1 victory at Ibrox.

“Two claims for handball, nothing given and no on-field review,” said Madden. “Ignore the fact that a foul was awarded between the incidents and let’s look at them on their own merit. In line with current criteria, both incidents are not punishable.

“In the first, the arm is in a natural position for the action, short distance and it would hit [the] body if not [the] arm. For the second the defender is falling to the ground at [a] short distance with his arm on way to supporting him. Hopefully one day people will realise that not every ball contact with hand/arm is punishable.”

Ex-FIFA official settles Rangers handball incident at Ibrox

There has been an awful lot of fallout yet again following the alleged handball incidents against Goldson as the decision not to award Aberdeen a penalty has largely split opinion.

But Madden’s view should go a fair way towards settling the debate as he is a highly experienced former referee and should be clearer on the rules than the vast majority of people.

While there is a shout for a penalty because it does hit his arm on both occasions, there is nothing the defender could have done and it certainly wasn’t a deliberate action.

There has just been a lot of fury around the situation due to the lack of penalties given against the Gers in recent times, but the fact of the matter, no team would expect that to be given against them.

It’s time to move on from the situation now as Madden has weighed in with his qualified opinion to provide clarity on why the officials were right to not award a penalty at Ibrox.