A new interpretation of the ‘triple punishment’ rule is one of several key changes being adopted worldwide in the new Laws of the Game.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), an independent association responsible for formulating the Laws of the Game, announced its reforms earlier this year.
While the changes have come into sharper focus throughout Euro 2016 and the opening weekend of the Premier League season, the new Laws of the Game will not be adopted in Queensland until competitions commence for the new season in 2017.
In preparation for the new Laws taking effect next year, we asked State Referees Development Officer David Wiebe to clarify some of the revisions which will be felt across community football.
Here are four changes to the Laws of the Game you should know for next season:
LAW 12 | Fouls and Misconduct
12.11 Denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity in the penalty area
David Wiebe: “The new additional text in simplified term means that, if a referee awards a penalty against a defender for a challenge using his feet, then instead of being sent of for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the player will now only be cautioned. However, if the player was to tackle the opponent outside the penalty area and the referee awards a free-kick (and deems the player to be denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity) then that player shall be sent from the field of play. If the player is penalised for using any part of his body other then his feet for the challenge (and is deemed to be denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity) then, regardless of where the free-kick occurred, that player will be sent from the field of play. If the player challenges for the ball using his feet and in the opinion of the referee uses excessive force then that player will be sent from the field of play.”
LAW 03 | The Players
03.8 Impact of substitute/team official/outside agent touching a ball which is going into the goal
David Wiebe: “The old law states that after any interference on a ball – i.e. something touches the ball whether it is heading into the goal or not – play must be stopped and a drop-ball given. The new text in Laws allows the referee to allow play to continue and see the outcome. This also means that a goal can be awarded even though the ball was interfered with by an outside agent, providing of course it doesn’t prevent a defender from playing the ball in a fair manner.”
LAW 04 | The Players’ Equipment
04.1 Tape/material on/covering socks
David Wiebe: “This one will cause some issues! In basic terms it simply means that if a player wants to wear ankle socks over his playing strip (which is all too common) they MUST now be the same colour as the sock itself. It also means that if a team is wearing multi-coloured socks and if a player applies tape to the multi-coloured sock, it must be the same colour as the colour of the sock they are applying it to.”
LAW 04 | The Players’ Equipment
04.3 Colour of undergarments
David Wiebe: “This one simplifies the ‘skins rule’. It means that if a playing strip has a different hem colour on the shirt or the shorts then the player can wear that colour undergarment. For example, if the playing shirt is black and the hem colour is white then they can wear a white long sleeve undergarment. The same applies for shorts. However, it needs to be said that if one player is wearing white and the other black then one needs to change. They all need to be in the same colour!”
Read up on all the latest changes to the Laws of the Game or brush up on the document in full.