February 17 – The controversial “triple punishment” of penalty, sending-off and suspension for offences that prevent a goalscoring opportunity could be eased if referees used more intuition and sensitivity, according to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
The long-running issue, which causes anguish to coaches and fans alike because of the lack of consistency by officials, is one of the main items on the agenda of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its annual meeting on February 28, with an update on trying to find a solution likely to be announced .
In his latest column in FIFA’s weekly magazine, Blatter suggested that referees were often too quick to apply the letter of the law rather than the spirit.
“Their interpretation does demand intuition and sensitivity,” he wrote. ” Not every foul in the penalty area necessitates a sending-off, yet referees do occasionally seem prone to this fallacy.
“By interpreting the laws depending on the situation referees could put an end once and for all to the vexed discussion about triple punishments. Making these distinctions is the fine art of officiating.”
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