The debut of video review in women’s soccer is causing confusion and has pushed FIFA to make a rule change heading into the World Cup knockout phase.
FIFA on Friday received approval from the game’s lawmaking body to suspend the rule that goalkeepers must be shown yellow cards for stepping off the goal-line during penalty shootouts.
With video assistant referees (VAR) able to keep a closer eye on infringements, FIFA feared that more goalkeepers could be penalized — and sent off if it is a second booking with no substitute allowed during shootouts, but the penalty kick would still be retaken.
The International Football Association Board granted the temporary dispensation, which means that goalkeepers can only be booked for stepping off the line with both feet during a penalty-kick in normal time.
“The caution for a goalkeeper who commits an offense was introduced in the laws as a deterrent,” FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina said. “But what better deterrent than the VAR? It’s not possible that a goalkeeper moves both her feet off the goal line without being noticed. In addition, we felt that the risk for a second caution was too high considering the number of penalties that are taken.”
Penalty-kicks have already been retaken during the group stage, because VAR has scrutinized goalkeepers’ movements more closely.
Argentina were facing elimination after missing a penalty-kick, but it was ordered to be retaken after a video review, and the team scored to finish 3-3, clinching third place in Group D and a place in the round of 16.
“If a goalkeeper commits an offense like encroaching before the penalty-kick is taken, the VAR cannot do anything but intervene and inform the referee that the penalty-kick must be retaken and the goalkeeper cautioned,” Collina said. “All the teams were duly informed at the beginning of March and goalkeepers had enough time to get used to it.”
However, the law could be revisited at future meetings of the board, which includes four FIFA delegates and a representative from each of the four British associations.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was