The FIFA Council is preparing to adopt a new package of amendments to the laws of football, aimed at regulating playing time, reducing time wasting, and speeding up the pace of matches, according to the BBC.
These changes, which are expected to be discussed and approved, include strict measures to regulate the handling of injuries and the exit of players. The injured player, after leaving the field for treatment, will be required to wait for a full minute before returning to the field, in a step aimed at reducing unnecessary stoppages.
The proposed amendments also stipulate that any player leaving the field must exit within a time frame not exceeding 10 seconds. In the event of non-compliance with this time frame, the substitute player will not be allowed to enter, forcing the team to complete the game with a reduced number of players until the next stoppage, which must not be less than 60 seconds.
As part of accelerating the resumption of play, the Council suggests adopting a countdown system when executing throw-ins and goal kicks, where the ball will be given directly to the opposing team if the specified time is exceeded, which will reduce stoppage times and improve the rhythm of matches.
As for the refereeing level, the amendments are moving towards expanding the powers of the Video Assistant Referee technology, by enabling it to review cases of incorrect second yellow cards, in addition to the possibility of using it to review corner kicks within some tournaments, according to the decision of the organizers of the competitions.
Followers believe that these changes reflect a clear trend towards making football more fair and faster, and reducing behaviors that affect the actual playing time, pending the official decision on the date and mechanisms for implementing these laws on the ground.
