April 3 – Referees at this summer’s World Cup look like getting tough on dangerous tackles more than other contentious issues like diving.
Refs selected for Brazil recently staged a training week and were instructed to prioritise over-the-top challenges.
FIFA’s head of refereeing Massimo Busacca said officials would be clamping down on any sign of rough play.
“The safety of the players is very important so the referees have to read the situation carefully at the beginning of the game,” he said. “If players start committing this type of (violent) foul, we have to take action to avoid it. We have to say: ‘We do not want to see this kind of football in this competition’.
“”This is the role of the referee, to try to understand and anticipate. Sometimes, the players forget because of the adrenalin. The role of the referee is to say: ‘Do you want to play today or do you want to take a shower?’
“We must try to avoid these situations which can destroy football.”