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In a groundbreaking move set to shake up professional football, the International Football Association Board is poised to announce the introduction of a blue card as part of sin-bin trials. This marks the first new colour of card widely used in 50 years.
Elite Trials on the Horizon
According to reports from The Telegraph, players will now face a 10-minute removal from play if they commit a cynical foul or show dissent towards a match official.
The protocols also introduce a new dimension to dismissals, where players would be sent off if they receive two blue cards in a game or a combination of a blue and a yellow.
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"The trial was very successful in grassroots competitions. Now we are talking of a higher level, very probably professional or even high professional football," stated FIFA referees' chief Pierluigi Collina, as reported by Daily Mail, endorsing the idea of sin bins.
Elite trials could commence as early as the summer, with top-tier competitions initially excluded from testing. However, FA Cup and Women's FA Cup matches are reportedly under consideration for inclusion in trials, with the Football Association contemplating volunteering next season’s competitions for testing.
Blue cards have already made their debut this season during sin-bin trials in grassroots football in Wales. The color was deliberately chosen to clearly differentiate it from the traditional yellow or red cards.
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Recognizing Good Sportsmanship
This move follows smaller-scale introductions of new cards on the continent, such as Portugal's recent adoption of a measure to recognize good sportsmanship.
In a notable instance, a Portuguese fifth-division player became the first recipient of a white card in men's football after demonstrating exceptional sportsmanship on the field.
The player's decision to halt play and assist an injured opponent was met with applause from fans and promptly acknowledged by the referee with a white card.
"If trials prove successful in curbing instances of cynical fouls and dissent, the new card could be added to the laws of the game," commented Mark Bullingham, chief executive of the Football Association.
While the concept of sin bins garners support from various quarters, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has voiced his objection. As a result, sin-bins will not feature in this summer's European Championship or next season's Champions League.
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