Reports have revealed that football will soon introduce the proposed introduction of blue cards to referee’s collection of cards.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is working with the intent to have the Blue Card introduced to the round leather game.
NIJInsight learnt that officials will carry blue cards which if shown to culpable players would result in a spell of 10 minutes in the ‘sin-bin.’
While sin bins will be deployed for two offences (dissent and tactical fouls), a blue card to a player that has been booked will result into a sending off – and same applies to two blue cards shown to a player.
IFAB is expected to approve the trials at its annual meeting in March.
The body has been looking at ways of improving player behavior on the pitch, while also seeking to find a balance for incidents that do not match the threshold for a red card but warrant more than a yellow card.
If the blue card gets introduced, it would be the first change to on-field punishments since red and yellow cards were introduced at the 1970 World Cup.
