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Johannesburg - FIFA has changed its rule on yellow-card amnesties at the
Soccer World Cup to reduce the chances of big name players missing out on
the July 11 final.
Germany's Michael Ballack in 2002, Italy's Alessandro Costacurta in 1994 and
Argentina's Claudio Caniggia in 1990 are the best-known players to have
missed World Cup finals after picking up second yellow cards in semis.
So for this tournament, world soccer's governing body has shifted its usual
amnesty for yellow cards from the end of the first round until after the
quarterfinals instead.
That means players would only miss the final if they receive two yellow
cards - or of course a straight red - in a semifinal game, rather than in
the past when they may have carried one yellow card going into a semi.
"FIFA simply said we want to give the best players a chance to play in the
final," spokesperson Marius Schneider said.
Red card rules remain the same.
A red carries at least a one-match suspension and possibly more if the
disciplinary committee considers the offence particularly serious. So, in
theory, a player red-carded even before a semifinal could also miss the
final. |
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