Championship Striker Banned for Deceptive Handball Goal
· Sports · BBC Sport
West Bromwich Albion striker Aune Heggebo became the first player charged by the Football Association with the deception of a match official following a controversial goal against Norwich City. During the opening Championship fixture at Carrow Road, the Norwegian striker guided a cross into the net using his hand after a deflection off goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic. Referee Tim Robinson and his assistants failed to spot the handball, allowing the goal to stand in a match West Brom ultimately won 2-1. The Football Association subsequently handed Heggebo a two-match ban under Rule E3.1, providing little context or reasoning beyond a formal statement. West Brom defended the player by arguing he had less than 0.1 of a second to react to the deflection, and the club confirmed plans to seek formal clarification from the governing body regarding similar future incidents.
Why it matters
This disciplinary decision sets a precedent for retrospective punishment of accidental handballs in English football competitions that lack Video Assistant Referees.
Read the original report — BBC Sport
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