Fouls in the penalty area will be lenient from the 2016/17 season

The IFAB (International Football Association Board) has just announced many important adjustments to football laws, aiming to improve and increase the attractiveness of the king sport. The new laws will be applied from the next season 2016/17.

Only yellow cards and penalties are given for fouls in the penalty area.

Previously, any foul in the penalty area would result in three penalties: a red card, sending off the field, a penalty, and the player receiving the red card would be automatically suspended for at least one match. This penalty was considered too harsh and affected the match because if a team lost a player and was penalized, it would be difficult to play fair with the opponent for the rest of the match.

IFAB has relaxed the rules, if a foul is committed in the penalty area but the foul is not serious (for example, a 50-50 ball dispute but fails), the offending player will only receive a yellow card, meaning the offending team will not lose a player but will still be penalized.

However, that does not mean that fouls in the penalty area only lead to yellow cards and penalties. Serious fouls still result in red cards, penalties and subsequent suspension. Serious fouls are defined as intentional fouls such as pulling the shirt from behind, hugging, tackling an opponent in a position where there is no legal chance of winning the ball, intentionally handling the ball, and violent behavior when blocking the ball.

Other adjustments

In addition to the above important adjustment, there are many other notable adjustments. The referee has the right to give a red card to a player even before the match has started. When kicking off, the ball can be passed in any direction instead of being forced to pass the ball forward.

Players who are injured due to foul play by opponents (and the opponent receives a card) will be treated quickly on the field, instead of having to leave the field for treatment as before, which would be disadvantageous for the team with the injured player (because they lose 1 player until the treated player returns to the field).

IFAB also approved a two-year trial of using scientific and technical means to help referees handle other important situations such as whether the ball has crossed the goal line or not, and whether the decision to issue a red card or award a penalty is reasonable or not.

According to bongdaplus