Soccer: Rule makers could agree sin-bin proposal at London meeting

[February 02, 2017]  LONDON (Reuters) - Temporary dismissals, also known as sin-bins, for yellow card offences at lower levels of the game could be given the go-ahead at an annual meeting of soccer's rule makers next month.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) said on Wednesday that a proposal to allow such dismissals in youth and amateur football was on the agenda for consideration at its annual meeting at Wembley Stadium on March 3.

Tests have been carried out in European soccer body UEFA’s development competitions and some amateur leagues over the last three years.

Former Dutch international Marco van Basten, FIFA's chief technical officer, has said sin bins would benefit attacking teams more than giving a yellow card to the player who has interrupted their move.

"It is more difficult with 10 against 11, and even more so with eight or nine," he told German magazine Sport Bild last month.

The IFAB agenda includes the extension of modifications to the Laws of the Game to give national associations more freedom to decide issues such as the number of substitutions at lower levels.

The IFAB will also be updated on video assistant referees and the board's overall strategy will also be discussed.

"Central to the strategy will be even closer relationships and exchanges with football stakeholders to ensure the IFAB’s proposals and decisions relate to 'what football wants'," it said in a statement.

"Particular focus will be given to the role of the captain and how her/his responsibilities could be enhanced as part of a move to improve on-field discipline and create better communication between players and match officials."

Van Basten told the BBC last year that soccer's world governing body was discussing whether to allow only team captains to speak to referees.

He also proposed abolishing extra-time and using a different system other than penalties in the shootout.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)

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