FIFA at it again

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Bolding mine

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Clarification of Law 12: Yellow Card for removal of jersey

(FIFA.com) 22 Jun 2004

Footballers who remove their jerseys during post-goal celebrations are to receive automatic yellow cards. The modification to Law 12, which was approved last February by the International Football Association Board
(IFAB), will come into effect from 1 July, 2004.

The IFAB, the body responsible for the Laws of the Game, decided to add a detail to Law 12 relating to 'Fouls and Misconduct', stating: "A player who removes his jersey after scoring a goal will be cautioned for
unsporting behaviour."

So as to avoid any ambiguities and facilitate the correct interpretation and application of the Law, a player will be deemed to have removed his jersey - and therefore become liable for a caution - if the jersey has
been pulled over the player's head, or if his head has been covered by the jersey . Under the section "Additional Instructions for Referees and Assistant Referees", the Laws clearly state: "Removing one's shirt after scoring is unnecessary and players should avoid such excessive displays of joy."

This decision was agreed on at the 118th Annual Meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) on 28 February 2004 in London, and will come into effect on 1 July this year.

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Avoid Joy?....have these people ever played the game?

valor

no

gandalf

TBH if it stops Ryan Giggs ever showing his naked chest again then I am all for it. I still have nightmares after seeing that

woosaysdan

lol, but in all fairness why? wheres the unsporting behaviour?

redspider

I think there should be celebrations but when it goes overboard it just makes a spectacle and wastes playing time tbh. Long celebrations would be ok if the sport is played with a stopped clock but its nots. I'm glad FIFA have made this ruling.

Also, when did you ever see players taking off their shirts to celebrate in other sports, such as Rugby, GAA, etc? Football used to have players just shaking hands and starting off again, playing like men in a man's sport. None of this nancy-pancy stuff, which is coming into other areas, diving, feigning injury, etc,. the more FIFA get involved in stopping this cr@p the better imo.

although it should be obligatory for women's football, right? ;-)

mr_angry

Originally posted by woosaysdan
lol, but in all fairness why? wheres the unsporting behaviour?

Well, top-level football these days is broadcast around the world to a very diverse audience. A lot of people in the Muslim world find this kind of thing offensive, and in order to facilitate these people, FIFA are asking players to respect that. TBH, I don't see anything wrong with that.

Since the football rights to these countries is a very lucrative business and brings a lot of money into this part of the world, in turn facilitating good quality football, training conditions, and top-class stadia, I think its a reasonable compromise.