What does Heggebo's deception ban mean for football?
BBC Sport explores the fallout from the decision to ban West Brom striker Aune Heggebo for two matches for "successfully deceiving a match official".
On the opening day of the football season, West Bromwich Albion's Aune Heggebo scored a goal that raised questions about the implications of the new deception ban. Heggebo crossed the ball into the six-yard box, where it hit his hand before going in, confusing both players and officials. Despite the absence of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the Championship, the Football Association (FA) charged Heggebo with misconduct, marking the first time a player has been penalized under this rule.
West Brom argued that the ball deflected off the goalkeeper before contacting Heggebo, suggesting the handball was accidental. The ban has sparked debate about the use of VAR and the fairness of retrospective disciplinary action. West Brom supporters argue the club has been harshly treated, while some experts believe the ban sends a strong message against deception.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Sport's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
