It's called the triple punishment. When a goalkeeper or defender brings down an attacking player in the box, and is punished with a red card, a penalty, and a ban for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. It has been a subject of debate for a long time, with most thinking that the law is overly harsh especially in cases where the defending player is genuinely going for the ball.
It appears that the International Football Association Board, or IFAB, has listened and that is all about to change this summer.
Comprehensive revision of the Laws of the Game approved today during IFAB AGM in Cardiff - https://t.co/IGlNpGjLT1 pic.twitter.com/de8YqXVT75
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) March 5, 2016
The International Football Association Board met last week in Cardiff to discuss future changes to the laws of the game. The committee, which comprises four members of FIFA and the heads of each British FA, spoke about the future testing of video technology, the possibility of "sin bins" and fourth substitutions in extra time.
But the most substantial change that was accomplished during the meeting was the change made to the law regarding the denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Players shall now be cautioned with a yellow card instead of a red except when the player is found guilty of:
- Pushing, pulling, holding
- Not attempting to play the ball, or where there is no possibility to play the ball
- The foul is worthy of a red card regardless of the situation (violent conduct etc.)
The law will be applied starting June 1 and will be in use for Euro 2016 and the Copa America Centenario. There will be a two-year trial period to ensure that the law is working as intended.
The IFAB has also agreed that video technology will be tested "no later than the 2017/18 season," and sin bins and fourth substitutions will also be tested, although no tournament has been decided upon as the testing ground.
Newly-elected FIFA president Gianni Infantino has this to say about the meeting:
"Today we have taken a historic decision for football. IFAB and FIFA are now leading the debate and not stopping the debate. We have shown that we are listening to the fans, to the players, to football and we are applying common sense. Of course, we have to be cautious and we are, but we are also open to looking at the matters and take concrete steps forward to show that a new era has started not only in FIFA but also in IFAB."
Newly elected FIFA president Gianni Infantino is trying to fulfill his promise of change. Photo: @FIFAcom | Twitter
It remains to be seen how well these decisions work for the game, but it is certainly an encouraging precedent and could go a long way in removing controversial game-changing decisions.
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Spare a thought for the victims of this legislation though: the managers. After all, if these trials are successful, who are they going to berate in the post-match press conference?
Follow me on Twitter @J_Hansen_89
