International Football Association Board
Football rules watchdogs apparently approve the introduction of a blue card
In the foreseeable future there will be three cards in football: yellow, red and blue
© Jens Wolf / DPA
Not as hard as a red card, but harder than a yellow card: Football’s rules enforcers are said to have decided to introduce a new card, a British newspaper reports. If a player sees the blue card, he has to leave the field for ten minutes.
According to a media report, football is facing a drastic reform in the punishment of players. As the British newspaper “The Telegraph” reports, the regulators of the… International Football Association Board (Ifab) approved the introduction of a blue card. This means that players will be given a ten-minute time penalty if, for example, they have prevented a clear scoring opportunity with a less serious foul or if they verbally attack officials.
Two blue cards = expulsion
As “The Telegraph” further writes, citing Ifab, two blue cards should lead to a red just as much as a blue and a yellow. The first tests could be carried out from the summer, but not in the top leagues. The English Football Association is considering making the FA Cup and the women’s cup competition available on a voluntary basis.
If the blue card is introduced into football regulations, it would be the first new card since yellow and red were introduced at the 1970 World Cup.
Handball has already moved on
There has been a blue card in handball since 2016. This is shown in order to make it immediately clear to everyone involved after a red card whether an additional report will follow, which will then result in a decision by the disciplinary committee.