Sin-bins could be coming to professional game

Sin-bins should be trialled at higher levels of football following their successful implementation in the grassroots game, the sport's lawmaking body has agreed.

Temporary dismissals of players for offences such as dissent and specific tactical fouls were backed by the International Football Association Board at its annual business meeting.

IFAB board members also supported a proposed trial whereby only the team captain may approach the referee in certain major game situations.

Tuesday’s meeting in London will shape the agenda for the organisation’s annual general meeting, which will be held on 2 March in Glasgow, where any proposed changes to the laws of the game will be considered for approval.

Protocols and a system for trialling will now be developed.

Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA referees committee who sits on the IFAB's technical subcommittee, said the proposed trials would "very probably" involve professional football.

Subject to approval at the AGM in March, they could begin as early as next season.

"The idea is to go deeper into all of the details because it’s easy to say we do it and it’s a bit more difficult how to regulate everything," he said.

"But the idea is to start working on this as soon as possible to provide those who would be involved in the trial a protocol to be used.

"The idea is to get it soon.

"The trial was very successful in a grassroots competition. Now we are talking of a higher level, very probably professional or even high professional football.

"We need to draft something that works or is worthy for top football."

Improving player behaviour was at the heart of the Heathrow meeting, which was chaired by Ian Maxwell, the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association.

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