Source:REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, under FIFA’s new proposal, injured players receiving treatment may be required to remain off the field for one minute. This is one of the measures that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) is set to approve at its annual conference, aimed at addressing interruptions to the flow of the game and time-wasting. Currently, there is no clear rule on how long players injured and receiving treatment should stay off the field. Leagues may set their own rules, for example the Premier League has used a 30-second rule since the 2023-24 season. FIFA trialed a two-minute rule at the 2022 December Arab Cup. FIFA referees chief Pierluigi Collina said the two-minute rule is intended to reduce time-wasting and improve match flow. This approach is similar to Major League Soccer, where if a player is down for more than 15 seconds and the team doctor enters, the rule is triggered. At the January IFAB meeting this year, all parties agreed to add a fixed time period to the rule, but there were differences on the exact length, and strong opposition was raised to the two-minute proposal. Therefore, a one-minute duration was proposed as a compromise.
The editor believes that, in such a situation, some teams may worry that a one-minute departure time could make it easier for the conceding team to score when playing with one fewer man. Even a 30-second rule has already dissatisfied fans, and outcomes such as goals conceded could put more pressure on referees.