On June 1, the new regulations prepared and approved by the International Board entered into force. In it there are clarifications and changes in concepts as controversial in recent times as hands and penalties. Nonetheless, Spanish football did not apply this new regulation, since it accepted an amendment that allows IFAB not to use them until next season due to the coronavirus pandemic and thus be able to end the current campaign with the same rules with which it began. Now, Robert Rosetti, UEFA's chief referee, has officially announced that the regulation will apply in the final rounds of Champions and Europe League, which will be held starting this week.
IFAB rule changes
-Rule 1. The field of play.
The posts and the crossbar may have profiles resulting from the combination of four basic shapes
-Rule 10. The result of a match.
A player will not be sent off if he sees the second yellow card on the penalty shootout. The reason is that “these rounds are not part of the party.” Therefore, footballers who saw a yellow card during regulation time or overtime will not see the red card if they see another yellow card during said round.
-Rule 11. The offside.
It is noted that in an offside play, “the infraction by the voluntary hand of a defender will be considered as such”:
-Rule 12. Fouls and incorrect conduct.
One of the most controversial concepts in soccer is clarified: the hands. The previous regulation did not establish when it was considered hand and when shoulder. The new version of the rules of the game includes the clarification that any ball that hits an area of the arm below the armpit will be considered a hand; while if it hits above that area it will be interpreted as shoulder.
It also clarifies when an attacking hand is signaled. Until now, every goal in which there was a hand, voluntary or not, had to be annulled. Now the following clarification is added: “The accidental hand of an attacker or a teammate will only be signaled if the contact takes place immediately before scoring a goal or on an obvious occasion.”
Regarding sanctions, the goalkeeper will be punished with yellow or red “who touches the ball unlawfully a second time after resuming play, even if he touches it with his hand or arm.” It will also be punished with yellow “all those infractions in which the promising attack is interfered with or ends up being avoided” and “the player who does not respect the 4 meters of mandatory distance on a dropped ball”. He shall be exempt from sanction “if the referee grants an advantage by allowing the execution of a quick free kick after the commission of an infraction that interferes with a promising attack or ends up avoiding it”.
-Rule 14. The penalty
From now on, if a goalkeeper steps forward from the goal line during a penalty kick (he must have at least one foot above the cal mark) he will no longer see yellow the first time. You will be warned verbally and if you repeat the infraction if you will see the cardboard. In the event that the pitcher and goalkeeper commit an infraction at the same moment, it will be the attacker who receives the sanction. In case the goalkeeper commits an infraction before the ball is in play, it may pass: if the ball enters the goal, a goal is scored or if it does not enter or rebound, the penalty will be repeated, but the latter will be as long as the offense of the goalkeeper clearly influenced the pitcher.
-VAR protocol
As a result of the controversial use that is taking place of the VAR in the Premier League and some other competition (where they do not take the protocol to the letter), it has been emphasized in the regulation that it will be necessary for the referees to go to the VAR monitor in most plays.