Every year FIFA's International Football Association Board sits down to make tweaks to the laws of the game and this year has a few interesting nuggets.
A feinted penalty attempt will no longer be legal, with players who throw a dummy to fool the goalkeeper before taking a spot kick receiving a yellow card and their team punished with an indirect free-kick to the opposition.
However, players who like to make a stuttered run-up before striking a penalty kick will be allowed to continue doing so.
As for throw-ins, the ball must be thrown with both hands rather than with a single hand throwing and the other "guiding".
English football writer Henry Winter set out the main points:
Refs can now show red cards to players before kick-off for, say, fighting in the tunnel. (Can be replaced, so teams start with 11).
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 9, 2016
IFAB may in the future debate changes to hand-ball laws, including on the line (Suarez v Ghana) which could be punished with a penalty goal.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 9, 2016
Messi, Ronaldo etc who feint when taking penalty now punished with yellow card & indirect freekick. No retake. Stuttering runs still allowed
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 9, 2016
Injured player can get treatment on pitch for up to 20 seconds & stay on, i.e. not have to go to touchline & await ref's nod to come back on
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 9, 2016
Water breaks permissible in "very hot/humid conditions". Law changes applicable worldwide from June 1 (and for England's two May friendlies)
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 9, 2016
Player accidentally losing boot allowed to "continue playing until play next stops". Under-shorts must be same colour as shorts - or the hem
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 9, 2016
IFAB: "At kick-off, the ball can now be kicked in any direction, including backwards so no team-mates allowed to stand in opponents' half"
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 9, 2016
IFAB on throw-ins: "The ball must be thrown with BOTH hands and not thrown with one hand and 'guided' with the other'.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 9, 2016
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