Match Officials Given More Protection



The Premier League and the FA have today confirmed a crackdown on “intolerable behaviour” by footballers towards match officials in England.

A statement on the Premier League website reads: “The English football authorities have noticed over the past four seasons that intolerable behaviour by players and managers in their competitions have reached unacceptable levels in certain areas.”

New laws for yellow and red cards were introduced and officials have been told “to take a stronger position and action towards unacceptable participant conduct.”

Bad news for Wayne Rooney, Diego Costa and other footballers who like to have a go at the referee.

Yellow and red cards

New yellow card offences:

Visibly disrespectful behaviour to any match official;

An aggressive response to decisions;

Confronting an official face to face;

Running towards an official to contest a decision;

Offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards match officials;

Physical contact with any match official in a non-aggressive manner;

A yellow card for at least one player when two or more from a team surround a match official.


New red card offences:

If a player confronts match officials and uses offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards them;

Physical contact with match officials in an aggressive or confrontational manner.

How come it's not any reputable website? Source?