Outline summary of Law changes 2017/18 In football . ALL LAWS

Outline summary of Law changes 2017/18
Herewithasimpleoutlineofthemainchanges/clarifications.
ALLLAWS
• Replace‘infringement/infringe’etc.with‘offence/offend’etc.
LAW1– THEFIELDOFPLAY
• Artificialturfmaybeusedforthelinesonagrass fieldifnotdangerous
LAW3– THEPLAYERS
• NationalFAscanallowamaximum of fivesubstitutions(exceptatthetoplevel)
• NationalFAscannowallowreturnsubstitutionsin youth,veteransanddisability
football
• Clearerwordingforthesubstitutionprocedure
• Asubstitutionmadeathalf-timewithoutinformingrefereeisnotacaution(YC)offence
• Changingthegoalkeeperathalf-timewithoutinformingtherefereeisnotacaution(YC)
• Playerwhoentersthefieldofplaywithoutthereferee’spermission(ifitisrequired)
andinterferesispunishedwithadirectfreekick(FK)
• TeamscoringagoalwithanextrapersononthefieldispunishedwithadirectFK
LAW4– THEPLAYERS’EQUIPMENT
• Goalkeepercapsarenotincludedinthelistofrestrictionsonheadcovers
• Playersarenotpermittedtowear/useanyelectronicorcommunicationequipment,
exceptelectronicperformanceandtrackingsystems/EPTS);technicalstaffmayonlyuse
communicationequipmentforsafety/welfareissues
• AllEPTSequipmentmustbearaminimumsafetystandardmark
LAW5– THEREFEREE
• Importantstatementthatdecisionsmadebymatchofficialsmustalwaysberespected
• NationalFAscanallowtemporarydismissals(sinbins)forsome/allcautions(YC)in
youth,veterans,disabilityandgrassrootsfootball(Guidelines forbothsystemswillbe
published)
• Amedicalofficialguiltyofadismissibleoffencemaystay/treatplayersifnoother
medicalpersonisavailablefortheteam
•
LAW7– THEDURATIONOFTHEMATCH
• Ashortdrinksbreakispermittedathalf-timeofextratime
LAW8– THESTARTANDRESTARTOFPLAY
• Kickercanstandintheopponents’halfatthekick-off
LAW10– DETERMININGTHEOUTCOMEOFAMATCH
• Extratimemustbetwoequalperiods,maximum15minuteseach

Laws of the Game 2017/18
Modifications to the Laws of the Game
TheuniversalityoftheLawsoftheGamemeansthatthegameisessentiallythesamein
everypartoftheworldandateverylevel.Aswellascreatinga‘fair’andsafeenvironmentin
whichthegameisplayed,theLawsshouldalsopromoteparticipationandenjoyment.
Historically,TheIFABhasallowednationalfootballsassociations(FAs)someflexibilityto
modifythe‘organisational’Lawsforspecificcategoriesoffootball.However,TheIFAB
stronglybelievesthatnationalFAsshouldnowbegivenmoreoptionstomodifyaspectsof
thewaytheirdomesticfootballisorganisedifitwillbenefitfootballintheirowncountry.
Howthegameisplayedandrefereedshouldbethesameoneveryfootballfieldintheworld
fromtheFIFAWorldCup™finaltothesmallestvillage.However,theneedsofacountry’s
domesticfootballshoulddeterminehowlongthegamelasts,howmanypeoplecantakepart
andhowsomeunfairbehaviourispunished.
Consequently,the131st AGMofTheIFABheldinLondonon3rd March2017unanimously
agreedthatnationalFAs(andconfederationsandFIFA)shouldnowhavetheoption,ifthey
wishtouseit,tomodifyallorsomeofthefollowingorganisationalareasoftheLawsofthe
Gameforfootballforwhichtheyareresponsible:
Foryouth,veterans,disabilityandgrassrootsfootball:
• sizeofthefieldofplay
• size,weightandmaterialoftheball
• widthbetweenthegoalpostsandheightofthecrossbarfromtheground
• durationofthetwo(equal)halvesofthegame(and2equalhalvesofextratime)
• theuseofreturnsubstitutes
• theuseoftemporarydismissals(sinbins)forsome/allcautions(YCs)
Foranylevelexceptcompetitionsinvolvingthe1st teamofclubsinthetopdivisionor‘A’
internationalteams:
• thenumberofsubstitutionseachteamispermittedtouseuptoamaximumof5
Inaddition,toallownationalFAsfurtherflexibilitytobenefitanddeveloptheirdomestic
football,TheIFABAGMapprovedthefollowingchangesrelatingto‘categories’offootball:
• Women’sfootballisnolongeraseparatecategoryandnowhasthesamestatusasMen’s
football
• theagelimitsforyouthandveteranshave beenremoved– nationalFAs,confederations
andFIFAhavetheflexibilitytodecidetheagerestrictionsforthesecategories

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• eachnationalFAwilldeterminewhichcompetitionsatthelowestlevelsoffootballare
designatedas‘grassroots’football
NationalFAshavetheflexibility tousedifferentmodificationsfordifferentcompetitions-
thereisnorequirementtoapplyallofthemtoeverycompetition. However, noother
modificationsareallowed.
NationalFAsareaskedtoinformTheIFABoftheir useofthesemodifications,andatwhich
levels,asthisinformation,andespeciallythereason(s)whythemodificationsarebeing
used,mayidentifydevelopmentideas/strategieswhichTheIFABcansharetoassistthe
developmentoffootballinothernationalFAs. Pleasesenddetailsto:info@theifab.com
TheIFABwouldalsobeveryinterestedtohearaboutotherpotentialmodificationofthe
LawsoftheGamewhichcouldincreaseparticipation,makefootballmoreattractiveand
promoteitsworldwidedevelopment.

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Guidelines for Temporary dismissals (sin bins)
The131st AGMofTheIFABheldinLondonon3rd March2017approvedtheuseof
temporarydismissals(sinbins)forallorsomecautions/yellowcards(YCs)inyouth,
veterans,disabilityandgrassrootsfootball,subjecttotheapprovalofthecompetition’s
nationalFA,confederationorFIFA,whicheverisappropriate.
Referencetotemporarydismissalsisfoundin theLawsoftheGame2017/18:
Law5– TheReferee (Powersandduties):
Disciplinaryaction
Thereferee:
• has the power to show yellow or red cards and, where competition rules permit,
temporarily dismiss a player,fromentering the fieldat thestartof thematchuntilafter
thematch hasended,including during the half-timeinterval,extra timeand kicks from
thepenaltymark
Atemporarydismissal iswhenaplayercommitsacautionable(YC)offenceandispunished
byanimmediate‘suspension’fromparticipatinginthenextpartofthatmatch.The
philosophyisthatan‘instantpunishment’canhaveasignificantandimmediatepositive
influenceonthebehaviouroftheoffendingplayerand,potentially,theplayer’steam.
ThenationalFA,confederationorFIFA,shouldapprove(forpublicationinthecompetition
rules)atemporarydismissalprotocolwithinthefollowingguidelines:
Playersonly
• Temporarydismissalsapplytoallplayers(includinggoalkeepers)butnotfor
cautionableoffences(YCs)committedbyasubstituteorsubstitutedplayer
Referee’ssignal
• Therefereewillindicateatemporarydismissalbyshowingayellowcard(YC)andthen
clearlypointingwithbotharmstothetemporarydismissalarea(usuallytheplayer’s
technicalarea)
Thetemporarydismissalperiod
• Thelengthofthetemporarydismissalisthesameforalloffences
• Thelengthofthetemporarydismissalshouldbebetween10-15%ofthetotalplaying
time(e.g.10minutesina90-minutematch;8minutesinan80-minutematch)
• Thetemporarydismissalperiodbeginswhenplayrestartsaftertheplayerhasleftthe
fieldofplay

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• Therefereeshouldincludeinthetemporarydismissalperiodanytime‘lost’fora
stoppageforwhich‘additionaltime’willbeallowedattheendofthehalf(e.g.
substitution,injuryetc...)
• Competitionsmustdecidewhowillhelptherefereetimethedismissalperiod– itcould
betheresponsibilityofadelegate,4th officialorneutralassistantreferee;converselyit
couldbeateamofficial
• Oncethetemporarydismissalperiodhasbeencompleted,theplayercanreturnfrom
thetouchlinewiththereferee’spermission,whichcanbegivenwhiletheballisinplay
• Therefereehasthefinaldecisionastowhentheplayercanreturn
• Atemporarilydismissedplayercannotbesubstituteduntiltheendofthetemporary
dismissalperiod(butnotifitistheplayer’s2nd temporarydismissalortheteamhas
usedallitspermittedsubstitutes)
• Ifatemporarydismissalperiodhasnotbeencompletedattheendofthefirsthalf(or
theendofthesecondhalfwhenextratimeistobeplayed)theremainingpartofthe
temporarydismissalperiodisservedfromthestartofthesecondhalf(startofextra
time)
• Aplayerwhoisstillservingatemporarydismissalattheendofthematchispermitted
totakepartinKicksfromthePenaltyMark(penalties)
Temporarydismissalarea
• Atemporarilydismissedplayershouldremainwithinthetechnicalarea(whereone
exists)orwiththeteam’scoach/technicalstaff,unless‘warmingup’(underthesame
conditionsasasubstitute)
Offencesbefore/during/afteratemporarydismissal
• Atemporarilydismissedplayerwhocommitsacautionable(YC)orsending-off(RC)
offenceduringtheirtemporarydismissalperiodwilltakenofurtherpartinthematch
andmaynotbereplacedorsubstituted
Furtherdisciplinaryaction
• Competitions/nationalFAswilldecideiftemporarydismissalsmustbereportedtothe
appropriateauthoritiesandwhetheranyfurtherdisciplinaryactionmaybetakene.g.
suspensionforaccumulatinganumberoftemporarydismissals,aswithcautions(YCs)
Temporarydismissalsystems
Acompetitionmayuseoneofthefollowingtemporarydismissalsystems:
o SystemA- forallcautions(YCs)
o SystemB- forsomebutnotallcautions(YC)

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SystemA– temporarydismissalforallcautions(YCs)
• Allcautions(YCs)arepunishedwithatemporarydismissal
• Aplayerwhocommitsa2nd caution(YC)inthesamematch:
o willreceiveasecondtemporarydismissalandthentakesnofurtherpartinthe
match
o maybereplacedbyasubstituteattheendofthesecondtemporarydismissal
period iftheplayer’steamhasnotuseditsmaximumnumberofsubstitutes(thisis
becausetheteamhasalreadybeen‘punished’byplayingwithoutthatplayerfor2x
temporarydismissalperiods)
SystemB– temporarydismissalforsomebutnotallcautions(YCs)*
• Apre-definedlistofcautionable(YC)offenceswillbepunishedbyatemporary
dismissal
• Allothercautionableoffencesarepunishedwithacaution(YC)
• Aplayerwhohasbeentemporarilydismissedandthenreceivesacaution(YC)
continuesplaying
• Aplayerwhohasreceivedacaution(YC)andthenreceivesatemporarydismissalcan
continueplayingaftertheendofthetemporarydismissalperiod
• Aplayerwhoreceivesasecondtemporarydismissalinthesamematchwillservethe
temporarydismissalandthentakesnofurtherpartinthematch.Theplayermaybe
replacedbyasubstituteattheendofthesecondtemporarydismissalperiod ifthe
player’steamhasnotuseditsmaximumnumberofsubstitutes
• Aplayerwhoreceivesasecondcaution(YC)inthesamematchwillbesentoffandtakes
nofurtherpartinthematchandmaynotbereplaced/substituted
*Somecompetitionsmayfinditvaluabletousetemporarydismissalsonlyforcautions(YCs)for
offencerelatingto‘inappropriate’behaviour,e.g.
• Simulation
• Deliberatelydelayedtheopposingteam’srestartofthematch
• Dissentorverbalgestures
• Stoppingapromisingattackbyholding,pulling,pushingorhandball
• Kickerillegallyfeintingatapenaltykick
Frequentlyaskedquestionsabouttemporarydismissals
Whatoffencesdotemporarydismissalsapplyto?
• Temporarydismissalsareonlyforcautions(YCs).
• CompetitionsmayusetemporarydismissalsforallYCsorjustsome(usuallythose
relatingtounfairbehaviour)– seeSystemB(above)

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Whencanthetemporarilydismissedplayerreturn?
• Oncethetemporarydismissalperiodhasbeencompleted,theplayercanreturnfrom
thetouchlinewiththereferee’spermission,whichcanbewhiletheballisinplay
Canatemporarilydismissedplayerbesubstituted?
• Atemporarilydismissedplayercanonlybesubstitutedattheendoftheirtemporarily
dismissalperiod.However,he/shecannotbesubstituted if:
o itistheplayer’ssecondtemporarydismissal
o theteamhasalreadyusedallitspermittedsubstitutes
Whathappensifatemporarilydismissedplayercommitsanotheroffence
duringatemporarydismissal?
• Atemporarilydismissedplayerwhocommitsacaution(YC)orsending-off/redcard
(RC)offenceduringtheirtemporarydismissalperiodisnotallowedtoplayagaininthe
matchandmaynotbereplacedorsubstituted

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Guidelines for return substitutes
Followingapprovalatthe131st AGMofTheIFABheldinLondonon3rd March2017The
LawsoftheGamenowpermittheuseofreturnsubstitutesinyouth,veterans,disabilityand
grassrootsfootball,subjecttotheapprovalofthecompetition’snationalFA,confederationor
FIFA,whicheverisappropriate.
ReferencetotemporarydismissalsisfoundintheLawsoftheGame2017/18:
Law4– ThePlayers (Numberofsubstitutions):
Returnsubstitutions
The use of return substitutionsis only permittedin youth,veterans, disability and grassroots
football,subjecttotheagreementofthenationalfootballassociation,confederationorFIFA.
A‘returnsubstitute’isaplayerwhohasalreadyplayedinthematchandhasbeen
substituted(asubstitutedplayer)andlaterinthematchreturns toplaybyreplacinganother
player.
Apartfromthedispensationforasubstitutedplayertoreturntoplayinthematch,the
provisionsofLaw3andtheLawsoftheGameapplytoreturnsubstitutes.Inparticular,the
substitutionprocedureoutlinedinLaw3mustbefollowed.
Frequentlyaskedquestionsaboutreturnsubstitutes
Howmanytimescanaplayerbeareturnsubstituteinamatch?
• Thereisnolimittothenumberoftimesaplayercanbeareturnsubstitute
Doesthegameneedtobestoppedforareturnsubstationtotakeplace?
• Alltherequirementsofthesubstitutionproceduremustbefollowed:
o playmustbestopped
o therefereemustgivepermissionforthesubstitutiontotakeplace
o theprocedureiscompletedwhentheplayerbeingsubstitutedhasleftthefieldand
the(return)substitutehasenteredthefield
Canareturnsubstitutionbemadeduringkicksfromthepenaltymark?
• TheLawsstatethatonlyplayersonthefieldofplayattheendofthematch(unlessoff
injuredetc.)cantakepartinkicksfromthepenaltymark(penalties)sonosubstitutions
arepermitted,exceptforagoalkeeperwhoisunabletotakepart
Canaplayerwhohasbeensentoffstillbeareturnsubstitute?
• Onceaplayerhasbeensentoffhe/shecannotplayintherestofthematch