New Sin-Bin System Trials: Abandoning Blue Cards and Focusing on Sin Bins

Football's lawmakers are expected to abandon plans for blue cards as part of trials for a new sin-bin system. The aim of the trials was to provide greater protection to referees. However, it is unlikely that blue cards will be implemented. Instead, the focus will be on the introduction of sin bins, which are set to be approved at the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and FIFA meeting. The discussions will revolve around addressing dissent towards referees and anti-football actions. Premier League managers, including Jurgen Klopp and Ange Postecoglou, have criticized the plans, expressing concerns about time-wasting. FIFA has clarified that the sin-bin trials will not take place in elite football. They emphasize the need for responsible testing at lower levels. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has stated that blue cards are completely opposed by FIFA and will not be used at elite level. However, Pierluigi Collina, FIFA's chairman of its referees committee, has previously praised the success of the blue cards trial at grassroots level and suggested its potential implementation in professional football. Other topics to be discussed at the meeting include referees awarding a throw-in to the opposing team for goalkeeper time-wasting and the punishment of deliberate handballs in the penalty area with a red card. The proposals put forward at the meeting will require six votes to pass, with four belonging to the English FA, Scottish FA, Welsh FA, and Northern Ireland FA, and the other half belonging to FIFA.