Soccer to Experiment With Sin Bins for Dissent and Tactical Infractions
Soccer aims to introduce sin bins for dissent and tactical offences at higher levels, aiming to enhance player conduct towards officials The response to this initiative has been varied
Sin bins are set to be trialed in higher levels of soccer in order to improve player behavior towards match officials. This move has received a mixed response. The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the sports lawmaking body, announced on Monday that sin bins should be trialed "for dissent and specific tactical offences" after their successful implementation at a grassroots level.
Instead of receiving a red card, players would temporarily leave the pitch and later return, similar to the 10-minute sin bin in rugby. Additionally, the IFAB backed a proposed trial for only team captains to approach the referee in specific major game situations as part of efforts to improve player conduct.
Soccer Football - Champions League - Group F - Paris St Germain v Newcastle United - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - November 28, 2023
Paris St Germain's Goncalo Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, Marco Asensio and Vitinha appeal to referee Szymon Marciniak for a penalty REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
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Newcastle's famous win over PSG was denied after a controversial VAR penalty decision. Former referee Pierluigi Collina, chairman of FIFA's referees committee, stated at the IFABs Annual Business Meeting in London that "the trial was successful in grassroot competitions, and we are now considering implementing it at a higher level."
The experience with kids was great, but now we are entering a higher level - most likely professional, or even high professional football.
The announcement has received support from Ref Support UK, a charity that advocates for the interests of match officials, describing the changes as "positive."
The statement added that this is a significant positive development in addressing misconduct in the sport. Congratulations to all those involved.
In the meantime, Jamie Carragher, a former England and Liverpool defender and current pundit for We, expressed his thoughts on the matter, stating "I've never been a fan of sin bins before, but we are watching too many games with cards & for me it ruins the game. I am totally in favor of only allowing the captain to speak to the referee, although I realize that may seem hypocritical coming from me!"
Watford's William Troost-Ekong is shown a yellow card during a Premier League match against Chelsea in December 2021.
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However, not everyone supports the use of sin bins. Former Chelsea captain John Terry expressed his disapproval, stating, "I personally don't like it because the level of tolerance and inconsistencies from referees will differ every week."
Terry added that he could see teams becoming more defensive after being reduced to 10 men, making a match less entertaining as a result.
Ukraine was denied a penalty after Mykhaylo Mudryk was tripped by Bryan Cristante.
Christopher Neundorf/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Why did the VAR remain quiet? Ukrainian media criticizes controversial decision in Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy. Some also noted that introducing sin bins would only further complicate the already controversial handball and VAR decisions in the sport.
"Football's unpredictability makes it impossible to determine what is clear and obvious from week to week, so sin bins and the criteria for being sent to one are unlikely to be effective," commented CNN Senior Sports Analyst Darren Lewis on X.
During Monday's IFAB meeting, Mark Bullingham, the chief executive of the English Football Association, outlined that sin bins would be handed out for "deliberate fouls that halt a potential attack" and when a player "does it knowingly to receive a yellow card," as well as for dissent.
He added, "Sin bins have proven to be successful in preventing infractions in grassroots games. Players are now more aware of the consequences and are less likely to break the rules." The IFAB has announced that any proposed revisions to soccer's regulations will be reviewed for approval on March 2nd of next year, and those that are approved will be implemented into the laws starting from July 1st.
