Controversial Penalty Decision Upheld in Brest-PSG Match
The French Football Federation (FFF) refereeing department has defended the penalty awarded to Brest in their recent 3-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain, following a lengthy and confusing VAR review. The incident occurred in the 51st minute after a free kick into the Brest box was headed towards goal by Ludovic Ajorque, ultimately striking the arm of PSG’s Lee Kang-in.
Initially, referee Jérémy Pignard awarded a corner, but the play was then reviewed by VAR. What followed was a nearly seven-minute delay, culminating in the penalty being first denied by VAR, then unexpectedly awarded moments later.
the FFF report details the VAR’s initial focus on two potential issues: a possible handball by Lee Kang-in and whether ajorque was offside when the free kick was taken.Though, the review then shifted to analyzing contact between the ball and kang-in’s arm, specifically noting a prior deflection off the defender’s face.
This led referee Pignard to personally review the footage, ultimately deciding to award the penalty to Brest. The FFF acknowledges the unusual sequence of events, stating the “complexity of the situation” – encompassing both the handball assessment and the offside check - contributed to the extended delay.
According to the FFF, Kang-in’s arm position, extended away from his body with an elbow at a 90-degree angle, “artificially increases the surface covered by the defender’s body,” making it a handball offense according to the Laws of the Game. The department clarified that prior contact with the defender’s face is not a mitigating factor under Law 12.
Despite upholding the decision, the FFF report notably does not explain why the penalty was initially overturned by VAR, only to be reinstated after a second review and the referee’s personal intervention. The incident was further complicated by a brief interruption caused by an object thrown onto the pitch as the corner was prepared to be taken before the initial VAR decision.
