Football lawmakers are expected to discuss the idea of introducing a new five-second time limit for goal kicks and throw-ins, which could end the current trend of long throws in the Premier League.
Further proposals to crack down on time-wasting are also on the table, with VAR expected to be extended to include second yellow card decisions when they play Wales on Saturday.
The introduction of a new five-second time limit for goal kicks and throw-ins is thought to effectively mean an end to the growing trend of teams using long throws as an attacking tactic in the Premier League and EFL.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which is made up of the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and FIFA, holds a general meeting every spring. It is only at this conference that the laws of the game must be amended and then applied worldwide.
However, the IFAB Board may decide to introduce some legal changes on a trial basis rather than permanently, making them options for individual competitions to consider for implementation. Although the legal changes will not come into force until July 1 (effectively for the start of the next domestic soccer season), FIFA is likely to choose to introduce some legal changes on a trial basis during this summer’s North American World Cup.
Officials believe the VAR changes to include a second yellow card will be passed without much opposition. That means wrong decisions such as the one that saw Nottingham Forest’s Wylie Boly sent off against Bournemouth last season could be overturned by officials at Stockley Park.
Currently, VAR is not allowed to consider whether a second yellow card is valid.
More controversially, the IFAB will also discuss whether VAR can rule on whether a corner kick should be awarded.
FIFA is in favor of the move and is thought to be considering introducing it at the World Cup, but the home country generally opposes the idea over concerns it would lead to more suspensions of matches that would be unpopular with fans, Sky Sports News reported. Currently, the Premier League has the lowest VAR intervention rate among Europe’s “big five” leagues.
The FA’s chief executive, Mark Bullingham, has publicly expressed his distaste for the idea, but FIFA’s chief referee, Pierluigi Collina, is a strong supporter, insisting that VAR only applies to corners where there is a clear mistake.
It is widely believed that the introduction of the “8-second rule” for goalkeepers in this match has been successful in cracking down on time-wasting, mainly because this season there have been very few incidents in which a keeper held the ball for more than 8 seconds, resulting in an opponent being awarded a corner kick.
Following this success, IFAB will discuss further measures to speed up interruptions during play.
How does the “5 seconds” rule work?
The proposals include introducing a new “five-second rule” for goal kicks and throw-ins, which would give players a very short time to restart play or face a penalty. If the time is longer than 5 seconds, the throw-in will be reversed and awarded to the opponent, and the goal kick will be cornered by the attacking team.
Some insiders have suggested that five seconds is too short for players to adhere to, and some fear it may be impossible to organize a long throw within that time frame.
Additionally, some referees may be concerned that having to visually follow the goalkeeper with the ball and countdowns for throw-ins and goal kicks will distract them too much from their other duties of officiating the game.
Other legislation on the IFAB’s agenda includes a requirement for players to leave the pitch for 30 seconds after receiving treatment for an injury.
There is a suggestion that this time should be doubled to 1 minute, not only to help with player welfare, but also to act as an additional deterrent to those looking to waste time. Similarly, you can also introduce a time limit for substitutions to further speed up the match.
Again, it seems that the 30-second rule for players undergoing treatment is currently working effectively among their home country’s soccer associations, and there may be some resistance to the introduction of this law.
Each law amendment will be debated and put to a vote on Saturday. A 75 percent majority is required for any proposal to pass. Each national football association has one vote and FIFA has four votes, meaning that six out of eight votes would need to be in favor to change the law.
