The FA have introduced a major new rule for the forthcoming season of grassroots football, and here’s everything you need to know about it
The FA recently announced one of the biggest law changes in grassroots football for a while, with sin bins set to be introduced across all levels from the start of the 2019-20 season.
Goal has rounded up all the important details about the rule change, what sin bins are, what they entail and how they differ from yellow cards.
What are the new changes to grassroots football in 2019-20?
On July 30, the FA announced a major rule change in the introduction of “sin bins”, known as temporary dismissals, as further punishment for dissent made by players towards the referee.
Starting from the 2019-20 season, they will be introduced nationwide up to step five of the National League System for men’s football. They will then be introduced from the third tier and below in women’s football, while there will also be shorter sin bins carried out in youth football.
Sin bins have been implemented in order to lessen the amount of dissent that happens on the pitch, with the FA having trialled the system in 31 leagues between 2017 and 2019.
As a result, 25 of the grassroots leagues had said that they saw an overall decrease in dissent, with 84 per cent of referees, 77% of managers and 72% of coaches in favour of having it introduced permanently.
What are sin bins?
Sin bins are 10-minute dismissals issued to a player by the referee as punishment for dissent.
Dissent is the act of bad or rude language made by the player aimed at the referee. Examples include shouting at the referee, questioning the referee’s ability, slamming the ball into the ground in anger after a decision and sarcastically clapping a decision.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham stated: “Dissent is a key part of the game that needs to be tackled, and our pilot phase has proved that sin bins work well.
“They allow referees to address incidents of dissent quickly and effectively. The trial showed a huge impact on behaviour that we want to roll out to the whole game and make it more enjoyable for everyone.”
How will sin bins work?
Sin bins will be indicated by the referee, who will show a yellow card while pointing with both arms to the side lines clearly. For 90-minute matches, this results in a 10-minute departure from the pitch, in which time the player is forbidden to be substituted or involved in the game in any manner.
For matches less than 90 minutes, players will spend eight minutes in the sin bin.
They will not replace standard yellow and red cards, and cautions and warnings will continue to be made for unsporting behaviour as well as foul play.
While players are required to play the £10 administration fee when given a caution, there is no cost for temporary dismissals.
Should a player receive a second sin bin in a match, it will result in the player in question being dismissed for an additional 10 minutes – for a 20-minute total – after which they will not be allowed to re-join the match.
They can, however, be substituted if the team has enough available substitutions remaining.
Unlike with cautions, which will continue to be issued for unsporting behaviour and foul play, players will not be required to pay the £10 administration fee for temporary dismissals.
A player who has been temporarily dismissed and commits a further yellow or red card offence whilst in the sin bin cannot participate any longer in the game and cannot be substituted.
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