Football sin-bin trials will NOT be extended beyond grassroots level, but lawmakers deny it’s down to backlash from Premier League managers over controversial blue cards

Football lawmakers have decided not to extend sin bin trials beyond grassroots football following last month’s backlash against the possible use of blue cards by referees.

An International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting in Loch Lomond today ended with the sin-bin experiment suspended, but other rule changes include restricting captains from speaking to referees and introducing cooling-off periods into matches. that players are forced to retire. to their own penalty area were approved.

The new tests can be used at all levels below each country’s top two tiers, meaning they could be introduced in the League One and Two seasons if the EFL so wishes.

FA chief executive and IFAB board member Mark Bullingham insisted they had not bowed to pressure from Premier League officials such as Jurgen Klopp and Ange Postecoglou, who were openly critical of the sin bins.

Trials will continue at the grassroots level, but will only apply to dissidents and not to cynical tactical fouls, which were already under consideration.

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“For some reason, Premier League officials thought the tests would apply to them, but that was never the case,” Bullingham said.

‘We have tightened and improved the protocols. From now on, anyone caught in the sin-bin will receive a yellow card which will count for scoring purposes, and the player will remain out until the next interruption of play after the 10 minutes of the sin-bin have passed.

‘These are really refinements. “We want to make sure we have the right protocol before we consider implementing it elsewhere.”

In other changes, IFAB rules confirmed that permanent concussion substitutes can be used in all world competitions from July, while audio of VAR decisions will be played in stadiums at this Olympic Games. summer.