Football follows in the footsteps of rugby. The IFAB, guardian of the laws of the game, recommended testing temporary exclusions in professional football on Tuesday at its annual meeting in London. An initiative aimed at repressing various misconduct by players similar to that practiced in the world of ovals where yellow cards were introduced in 1999.
In 2017, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) validated the implementation of temporary exclusions, with the aim of easing possible tensions on the pitch and improving fair play, in amateur categories, young people, veterans or even disabled people, subject to the approval of each national federation and confederation. In France, temporary expulsion, namely a white card imposed on the offender, ordered to calm down for ten minutes, has been in force since 2018 in amateur competitions. Professional football is not currently affected by this measure, and this may therefore change in the future.
IFAB board members also backed a proposal, which will be tested, that only the team captain could approach the referee in certain game situations. All of these Proposals will be examined at the body’s annual general meeting in Glasgow in March 2024.
“The test was conclusive among amateurs”
“When we looked at the issue of temporary exclusions – and it is clear that the protocol needs to be developed – we were interested in misconduct. But we also discussed other reasons, including tactical fouls,” explained Mark Bullingham, IFAB board member and chief executive of the English Football Association.
“The frustration of the supporters is immense when they see a promising counter-attack aborted by a tactical error. And the question of whether a yellow card is enough to sanction it led us to wonder if the white card should not also be an option,” he explained.
Pierluigi Collina, president of the FIFA referees committee, who sits on the IFAB technical subcommittee, stressed that the testing of temporary exclusion in professional football could take place as early as next season , subject to the approval of the general assembly of the body in March. “The test was conclusive among amateurs. We are now talking about a much higher, highly professional level. We need to develop something that works or is worthy of high-level football,” he explained.
