New Football Laws: All About Blue Cards and Sin Bins Revealed
The Premier League could introduce blue cards in the future, as revealed by football’s rule makers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The IFAB is planning to publish protocols to improve player behavior, including trials for sin-bins. Although sin-bins have been tested successfully at grassroots level, top-level competitions will not be involved in the initial trial phase to avoid confusion among players. The sin-bins will be applied for specific offenses such as dissent and tactical fouls, and players will be sent to the technical area for 10 minutes.
If a player has already been booked, a blue card will result in a sending off. The IFAB is also considering introducing “captain only zones” to be used by referees, as well as “cooling-off” periods for teams after mass confrontations. Additional trials being considered by the IFAB include examining the length of time goalkeepers can hold the ball and how play should restart if they hold on too long, as well as concerns about the enforcement of the current rule for goalkeeper ball possession. The specifics of these trials are set to be clarified by the IFAB in the near future.
