The world association FIFA has described a media report about the decision to introduce a blue card in top-level football as “wrong and premature”. “If such trials are carried out, they should be limited to responsible testing at lower levels,” FIFA said on Thursday evening.
The British newspaper “The Telegraph” had previously reported that the International Football Association Board (Ifab) had approved the introduction of the new blue card.
This means that players will be given a ten-minute time penalty if, for example, they have prevented a clear scoring opportunity with a less serious foul or if they verbally attack officials. As the paper goes on to write, citing Ifab, two blue cards should lead to a red card just as much as a blue card and a yellow card.
Ifab had already announced at the end of November that it wanted to test the introduction of time penalties. These are already being used in youth football.
The first tests could now be carried out from the summer, but not in the top leagues. The English Football Association is considering making the FA Cup and the women’s cup competition available on a voluntary basis. If the blue card is introduced into football regulations, it would be the first new card since yellow and red were introduced at the 1970 World Cup.
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There has been a blue card in handball since 2016. This is shown in order to make it immediately clear to everyone involved after a red card whether an additional report will follow, which will then result in a decision by the disciplinary committee.