Until now, referees in football matches have punished players with yellow or red cards. The blue card is intended to signify a punishment more severe than a yellow card but less severe than a red one. It would therefore occupy a place between them. The blue card is to be a penalty, among other things, for unsporting behaviour (e.g. insulting the referee) or so-called tactical fouls (e.g. preventing a quick attack). A player shown a blue card would leave the pitch for ten minutes.
Such changes would mean a true revolution in punishing players. The idea of introducing the blue card came from IFAB (International Football Association Board), the organisation responsible for creating and amending the rules of football and futsal. UEFA opposes the idea.
The tvp.sport.pl service, citing The Telegraph, reports on plans to introduce the blue card—for now on a trial basis:
According to British journalists, referees may soon be able to punish players with blue cards.
(...) News of the introduction of the blue card spread through all sports media around the world. FIFA also responded, describing it as “incorrect and premature” in the context of wanting to test it in competitions at the highest level.
“Any such trials, if implemented, should be limited to being tested responsibly at lower levels of competition, which FIFA intends to reiterate when this agenda item is discussed at the IFAB Annual General Meeting on 2 March,” the statement reads.
Czy wprowadzenie niebieskiej kartki to dobry pomysł?
Sportowe Fakty reports:
What would be the consequences of such a card? Removal from the pitch for ten minutes. Two blue cards would turn into a red one. The same would apply if a player were shown a yellow and a blue card. In that case, the player would also have to leave the pitch permanently.
Is introducing the blue card a good idea?
More on this topic at tvp.sport.pl