Football: temporary exclusions tested among the pros | Africanews

The IFAB, the guardian of the laws of the game, recommended the trial of temporary exclusions in professional football on Tuesday at its annual meeting in London, a move aimed at cracking down on various misconduct by players.

In 2017, theInternational Football Association Board (IFAB) validated the implementation of temporary exclusions, with the aim of easing possible tensions on the ground and improving the fair-playin the amateur, youth, veteran or disabled categories, subject to the approval of each national federation and confederation.

In France, temporary expulsionnamely a white card inflicted on the offender, ordered to calm down for ten minutes, has been in force since 2018 in the amateur competitions. Professional football is not currently affected by this measure and this is what could therefore change in the future.

IFAB board members also backed a proposal, which will be trialled, 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.

“When we looked at the question of temporary exclusions – and it is clear that the protocol must be developed – we were interested in misconduct (…) But we also mentioned other reasons, in particular faults tactics”explained Mark Bullingham, IFAB board member and chief executive of the English Football Association.

“The frustration of supporters is immense when they see a promising counter-attack aborted by a tactical foul. And the question of whether a yellow card is enough to punish it has led us to wonder whether the white card should not also be an option”he developed.

Pierluigi Collinachairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, who sits on the IFAB technical subcommittee, said that the testing of temporary exclusion in professional football could take place as early as next season, under subject to the approval of the general assembly of the body in March.

“The trial was successful among amateurs. We are now talking about a much higher level, highly professional. We need to develop something that works or is worthy of high-level football.”he explained.