English soccer is cracking down on abuse from players and managers.
The Premier League, English Football League, and Football Association released a statement on Monday, which announced a joint initiative between the leagues regarding the behavior of players and managers towards officials.
“Players and managers have to be aware there are lines that should not be crossed”
More on joint initiative: https://t.co/uIpmLzbFpc
— Premier League (@premierleague) July 20, 2016
Beginning next season, aggressive physical contact with any official will result in a red card. Red cards will be awarded to those who use offensive language or make gestures towards officials. Yellow cards will also be dished out for a number of infractions, including non-aggressive physical contact, a face to face confrontation with an official, running towards an official after a contentious decision, and when two or more players from one team surround an official.
As the BBC notes, not a single player in the Premier League has been sent off in the last five seasons for abusive language towards a match official.
In the statement, the Premier League said players were “overstepping the mark” and that type of behavior “should no longer be tolerated.”
“We and our clubs have been discussing for some time concerns that certain elements of player behaviour are overstepping the mark – the mass confrontations, overt displays of dissent and offensive language,” Richard Scudamore, Executive Chairman, the Premier League said. “We are viewed by millions week in week out – including lots of young people – and it is our collective position that these types of behaviour should no longer be tolerated.”
The stricter rules are welcome, as abuse towards officials is unacceptable and seeing multiple players surround a referee demanding a call and not receiving any discipline is tiresome. Considering players are rarely charged for the act, they were more inclined to push the envelope when responding. Now, in theory, they should react calmly, unless they want to be carded. It’s a smart move.
[BBC]
