‘FIFA Is Completely Opposed To Blue Cards’, Says President
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the organisation is against the International Football Association Board’s proposal for ‘blue cards’, adding that he was unaware of the idea before it caught the public eye.
The proposal from football’s rule making body to introduce ‘blue cards’, which gives referees the power to send players off for 10 minutes for dissent or committing cynical fouls, was discussed with FIFA at the IFAB’s Annual General Meeting in Scotland.
“There will not be any blue cards used at elite level. This is a topic that is non-existent for us,” Infantino told reporters on Friday, arriving at the IFAB’s meeting at Loch Lomond in Scotland.
“FIFA is completely opposed to blue cards. I was not aware of this topic – as the president of FIFA. I think FIFA has a say in IFAB. If you want a title, ‘it is red card to the blue card.’
“We are always open to look at ideas and proposals. But once you look at it, you also have to protect the essence and tradition of the game. There is no blue card.”
This decision suggests FIFA’s preference for the existing yellow and red card system, despite ongoing discussions about potential improvements. Opponents of blue cards might argue they disrupt the flow of the game and create confusion.
Infantino’s statement indicates FIFA will not be implementing blue cards in the near future, leaving the current system in place for managing player conduct on the field.
