Ligue 1 could revolutionize soccer through the use of a ‘white card’ that would assist referees in controlling discipline and players’ misconduct on the pitch. If approved for the 2024-2025 season, the consequences would be historic.
It’s important to remember that, in the last few months, the International Football Association Board has been studying major changes like the Wenger Rule which could transform a key part of the game such as offside.
Another proposal is the white card which could be implemented in France. The use of that card by referees would result in a player being temporarily expelled from the field for 10 or 15 minutes during a match.
This rule has been under experimentation in amateur leagues around the world since its approval back in 2017. In a shocking turn of events, Ligue 1 could be the first top competition in Europe to allow it.
The use of white cards by referees will transform soccer (Getty Images)
What is the white card in soccer?
In 2017, when Michel Platini was still the president of UEFA, he proposed incorporating a card to allow the referees to issue temporary expulsions. Now, that idea could come to Ligue 1.
On that occasion, Platini said that “the white card would reduce the tension caused by the use of yellow and red cards during matches.” He believed that the referee would penalize a player with a white card as a first warning, reserving the yellow card for a second caution or bigger situations.
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The measure would have similar characteristics to what happens in hockey, where players are penalized with a certain number of minutes off the ice. In that sport, depending on the severity of the penalty, the time you are out of the game is determined.
What would be the difference with a white card in soccer?
In this case, the white card would serve as a deterrent to prevent players from wasting time, making tactical fouls or protesting at the referee. For example, when a player commits two or three minor fouls, right now they don’t even get a yellow card. The white one could stop that.
According to the proposal, the white card would be an immediate suspension that prevents a player who has committed an offense deserving of a yellow card from continuing to participate in the match for a specified period.
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The logic is that immediate sanction could change the further behavior of the players in the latter stages of a game. If you leave your team at a numerical disadvantage on the field, you are likely to refrain from committing such tactical fouls in the match, thus facilitating the referee’s job.
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