The five changes can be definitive

The next March 3rd It is a very important date for world football. For that day he has convened the IFAB (International Board) the celebration of its 136th General Assembly and which will also be chaired by Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA.

And where the main issue will be what to do with the current Rule 3 relating to changes in football In other words, whether or not to maintain the current situation that has been in force since the appearance of the pandemic and that “offers top-level competitions the option of allowing teams to use a maximum of five substitutes per game.”

In the last meeting held last November, the majority’s desire to include this extension as a fixed rule in the Rules of the Game for the 2022-2023 season was already clear. A season also marked by the celebration in December of Qatar World Cup

It should be remembered that, due to the effects of the pandemic in world football, the IFAB approved in May 2020 a modification of this Rule 3 the players aimed at protecting the welfare of the players and where the possibility of allowing the use of up to five substitutions during a match in all national and international competitions was opened. The measure has been extended on several occasions due to the evolution of the pandemic, and the last one was the one that set the deadline on December 31, 2022 for the highest level competitions.

In October of last year there were already several confederations, federations, leagues who advocated including the measure in a permanent in the future edition of the 2022/23 Laws of the Game. In other words, not going back to the three changes that existed prior to COVID.

Trials relating to substitutions by concussion or the offside rule, in addition to the latest advances in arbitration support technologies.

In December 2020, the International Board gave the green light to the protocol for temporary substitutions in this type of extreme situation. Thus, in cases of an actual or suspected concussion, the player in question may be temporarily withdrawn from the party in order to protect the health of the footballer. Situation that will not affect the team of the player who, through this temporary substitution, will not suffer a situation of numerical inferiority. During this last year, all confederations dependent on FIFA, starting with UEFA, and the national federations that wish to put it into practice with the new year, have had to make a formal request to FIFA and the IFAB itself. Always complying exactly with the planned protocol that implies that, in the event of the footballer recovering, he can return to the field of play leaving the footballer who enters the field to replace him. If unable to continue, it remains on the field of play like any other substitution in the match. The Premier League decided to put it into practice since January of last year.

In addition, it is expected that at this meeting in March all those changes that may affect the Rules of the Game for the 2022-2023 season.

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