By Alexander Cruickshanks

With the potential introduction of the blue card, what does the future hold for the yellow? (Image: Getty Images)

In football, the referee has the control to caution players or remove them from the field of play when illegal acts are committed during a match. With this power comes the yellow and red cards that the referee can use. A yellow card is to caution a player when they commit a foul or an act of descent that maybe isn’t serious but is bad enough to warrant a last warning. A red card is used to send a player off for endangering an opponent with a dangerous challenge or serious acts of descent like fighting. Now, however, the game is set to be shaken up as a blue card will be implemented into football.

To receive a blue card, a player must have committed a cynical foul or committed an act of descent. A comparison that could be drawn is Georgio Chiellini hauling down Bukayo Saka in the Euro 2020 final stopping a potential counter attack, a foul that caused outrage among the England support and it was furiously debated whether Chiellini could have seen red. This would’ve almost certainly been given a blue card. The punishment for seeing blue would be a 10-minute sin bin. However, this is where it may become confusing. Much like yellow cards, two blue cards would mean an immediate dismissal for the offender. Much like rugby’s yellow and red cards system where a yellow card is a 10-minute sin bin and two yellows means a dismissal. But in the beautiful game, it has to be more complicated. Yellow and red cards will remain. The same punishment for both however if you receive a yellow and blue card you will be dismissed from the field of play permanently and shown a red card.

The recommendations are set to be made by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Friday ahead of trials across competitions. It is believed that tighter restrictions will improve player behaviour and benefit the sport as a whole. This is in response to an increase in descent from players leading to altercations between grassroots-level players and officials as they are influenced by the elite.

For the trials the English FA are said to be entertaining the idea of trials in the FA Cup just next season, However, there will be no sin bins in the Premier League and UEFA has knocked back the idea.

Alexander Ceferin, the President of UEFA, has described sin bins as “the death of football” and he has not been alone in expressing discontent.

In addition, Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou had this to say: “Just bin the whole idea, forget about it. I don’t know why they keep interjecting themselves into the game”

The introduction of the blue card will spark debate all across the globe. With many already pushing back, it could be a fleeting idea that we don’t hear about ever again, or it could become a permanent part of the beautiful game. And according to some, it will become a bit less beautiful.

Football to implement sin bins with blue card