Former FIFA referee Victor Hlungwani has defended the decision not to award Kaizer Chiefs a penalty during their Betway Premiership encounter against Stellenbosch FC, arguing that the disputed incident did not constitute a handball offence.

The decision sparked debate among Amakhosi supporters, some of whom believed a Stellenbosch player handled the ball inside the penalty area and that Chiefs should have received a spot-kick.

However, Hlungwani offered a different interpretation when discussing the incident on SABC Sport. According to the former referee, the player's arm was in a natural position when the ball approached, leaving insufficient grounds for the officials to award a penalty.

Hlungwani explained that contact between the ball and a player's hand or arm does not automatically amount to a handball offence. Referees must consider several factors, including the position of the arm, the player's movement and whether the action made the body unnaturally bigger.

Based on these considerations, he maintained that the officials were justified in allowing play to continue.

"We can see that the hand is in a natural position. Did it hit the hand? The answer is no. So, no penalty. Ayikho, you were not robbed, Amakhosi," Hlungwani said.

His assessment challenges the views of supporters who felt Chiefs were unfairly treated by the decision.

The incident has once again highlighted the scrutiny surrounding refereeing decisions involving the Soweto giants as they continue their Betway Premiership campaign.

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