English FA brings in cards for touchline misconduct by managers

FILE – In this Sunday, July 1, 2018 file photo, referee Bjorn Kuipers from Netherlands shows a yellow card to Russia’s Ilya Kutepov during the round of 16 match between Spain and Russia at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia. Referees are to issue yellow and red cards to English Premier League managers who misbehave on the touchline during FA Cup and League Cup matches in a pilot scheme for season 2018-19. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

LONDON — Referees are to issue yellow and red cards to English Premier League managers who misbehave on the touchline during FA Cup and League Cup matches in a pilot scheme for season 2018-19, the FA said on Tuesday.

In the Premier League, however, the managers will receive verbal warnings, not cards, for misconduct.

Among the transgressions punishable in the three competitions are:

—inappropriate language and/or gestures toward the match officials which are an obvious show of dissent or an attempt to influence the decisions of the match officials

—kicking or throwing water bottles, coats or similar objects in an obvious show of dissent

—sarcastic clapping and/or gestures intended to undermine the authority of the match officials

—entering the opponents’ technical area in an inappropriate manner

—waving an imaginary yellow/red card

The verbal warnings will be reported to the FA using the same process as player cautions and dismissals.

“This trial follows a review by the English game’s stakeholders of the pre-existing technical area code of conduct, which was established in 2015 and sets out the behaviors expected of occupants of the technical area and establishes how the match officials will implement the code,” the FA said.

Four warnings will lead to an automatic one-match ban, while eight warnings equal a two-match suspension. A three-match ban will be handed out for 12 warnings, and 16 warnings will prompt an FA disciplinary hearing.

The FA Cup final is exempt from automatic suspensions.

In addition, the 2018-19 season will see the introduction of competition specific player suspensions for yellow cards.