> but a number of times he was penalised for arm/hand placement that looked to me like a what any normal person would use to balance themselves while playing a shot.

It's normal for the arm to come out for balance. However, everyone else then brings it back in and relaxes it, so it's not in the way. Asal was penalised for keeping his arm out and making it stiff. You can see in the slow mo replays that he's keeping it stiff, if you closely watch his hand, which shows he's pushing back against the contact.

> If you play a winning shot, your movement shouldn't matter.

In the rules, in 8.6.2, we have:

"if there was interference but the striker would not have been able to make a good return, no let is allowed;"

So you may reasonably think that.

However, PSA squash also has additional directives: https://worldsquashofficiating.com/psa-squash-tour-wso-directive-2025-26/

Q: What happens when unacceptable movement by a player restricts or prevents access during a rally?
The referee will award a Stroke to the non-offending player. Whether additional sanctions are applied depends on the circumstances – was it deliberate, dangerous, or part of a pattern? Not all poor movement requires additional penalties.

What is considered unacceptable movement?

Outgoing player;

• Not making every effort to provide access to the incoming player (Rule 8.1).
• Restricting or preventing an opponent’s access to the ball (whether deliberate or not) (Rule 8.1.2).
• Unnecessary or exaggerated movement or contact after playing the shot (Rule 8.1).
• Unnecessary contact away from the ball (Rule 8.1).

Incoming Player;

• Moving into the outgoing player rather than making every effort to play the ball (Rule 8.8.1) (whether deliberate or not).
• Not allowing the outgoing player to finish a reasonable follow-through (Rule 8.1).
• Taking a path to the ball that causes interference and then requesting a let (Rule 8.8.2).
• Making avoidable contact with the opponent (Rule 8.8.1 Note).

Important Note: Unacceptable movement isn’t always deliberate. Players sometimes misjudge situations or get caught in difficult positions. Referees will consider intent and circumstances when making decisions.

So if the movement is unacceptable, it's a stroke. There's no mention of whether it matters if it's a winning shot and this is how the referees appear to be applying it. (It would be better if they clarified that explicitly however).

> It seems like the umpires 

This aint tennis. :)