GENEVA, March 5 (AP): The 100-minute matches that became routine at the World Cup in Qatar are set to become routine in club soccer, FIFA’s rule-making panel said Saturday. The panel known as IFAB stressed the need for accurate calculation of time added on forstoppages in play because of injuries, substitutions, time-wasting and goal celebrations. After the annual IFAB meeting held in London — involving FIFA and the four British soccer federations — the anti-discrimination “One Love” armband that provoked problems in Qatar with the host nation was addressed again.
FIFAPresident Gianni Infantino and English federation chief executive Mark Bullingham said the armband issue should next be resolved well ahead of the Women’s World Cup that starts in July. Cohost nations Australia and New Zealand are unlikely to object. At the World Cup in Qatar, five minutes of additional time each half became routine as referees followed FIFA instructions and several games stretched for 10 minutes after the regulation 90. “It has been widely appreciated by everyone.
We want to fight against time-wasting, we want the fans to enjoy the game,” Infantino said at the IFAB news conference. Infantino said the laws ofsoccer need not be changed as they already require additional time to be calculated accurately. “We have to ensure that also the application of the laws of the game are universal,” Infantino said, noting they were currently inconsistent with average effective ball-in-play time in leagues worldwide ranging from 50 to 60 minutes per game.
“We will monitor leagues all over the world” to ensure proper stoppage time is played, Infantino said, though adding, “I don’t think there is any coercive measure to be taken.” Referees adding on the full amount of time for an injury stoppage “removed the incentive for players to stay down longer than necessary,” Bullingham said. The panel agreed they did not want to curb goal celebrations. “They are the essence of the joy of football,” said Patrick Nelson of the Northern Ireland federation. “But equally if you’re the team that hasjust conceded the goal you want to make sure that time is added back on.”
The laws of soccer and World Cup regulations are clear on stopping teams using unauthorized equipment yet several European teams wanted their captains in Qatar to wear the One Love armband – a multi-colored design with a heart-shaped logo to promote anti-discrimination. The dispute flared hours before the tournament’s opening ceremony and into the next day with FIFA, under pressure from Qatari organizers, threatening disciplinary measures on the field.
