FIFA President Comments on Introduction of Blues Card

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has emphatically ruled out the prospect of blue cards playing any part in a future. He made the announcement before a meeting in Loch Lomond.

Blue cards were mooted as a potential option for referees instead of a red or yellow. They were set to start using them after a meeting on February 9.

However, fans did not like the idea of blue cards when details emerged on February 8. IFAB has since decided not to bring them in and wants to discuss the issue more at a meeting this weekend.

Infantino said: "There will not be any blue cards used at elite level. This is a topic that is non-existent for us."

He added: "FIFA is completely opposed to blue cards. I was not aware of this topic. I'm the president of FIFA, and I think FIFA has a say in the IFAB. So, I don't know if you want the title, 'It's red card to the blue card'! ".

And he added: "Every proposal and every idea has to be treated with respect, of course. But, once you look at it, you also have to protect the game, the essence of the game, the tradition of the game, and there is no blue card."

The introduction of a blue card would have been the biggest change in player discipline since red and yellow cards were brought in at the 1970 World Cup.

The trial for this new rule will continue to be developed, but it's expected to take place at a lower level of football than originally planned. The original plan from February 9 was to encourage applications from all competitions except the very top ones.

The Football Association, one of the five bodies that makeup the IFAB, was thought to be interested in trialling the blue card in the men's and women's FA Cups in the future. This was before the uproar.

Instead of the blue card, a new signal will need to be used in the trial. In grassroots football, referees show a yellow card and point to the touchline.

There will also be more discussions on Saturday about whether any sin bin trial should include tactical fouls as well as dissent. According to the original protocol all players on the pitch, including goalkeepers, could be temporarily dismissed.

Sin bin trials were one of four protocols set to begin last month before the blue card story came out.

March 02, 2024