Coughing could land footballers a red card under revised FA laws

Footballers who deliberately cough towards opponents or referees will find themselves in hot water after new guidelines were issued by England’s Football Association (FA) in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

The English FA has compiled a comprehensive document outlining detailed guidance for match officials overseeing games while coronavirus restrictions are in place.

Coughing could land you a red card

Players who deliberately cough at opponents or referees can be shown red or yellow cards under new guidelines issued amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Where the referee is certain someone deliberately, and from close range, coughed into the face of an opponent or match official.” an FA document stated according to SkySports.

“If the incident was not severe enough to merit a sending-off, a caution could be issued for ‘unsporting behaviour – shows a lack of respect for the game’.

“The action of moving the head/mouth towards someone and then coughing would fall within the “spirit” and general definition of a gesture which is “a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning.”.

Five sub rule to remain available next season

Five substitutions will be available for continuation in the English Premier League next season. Football’s lawmakers increased the originally allotted three substitutions to five with the intention of alleviating fitness concerns after the lengthy football hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The FA have since confirmed that it will be up to each individual competition to decide whether or not they are to make use of the added substitutions next season.

The 2020/2021 English Premier League season is scheduled to get underway on the 12th of September 2020.