New FA rules include red cards for deliberate coughing amid pandemic: Report

The coronavirus outbreak had a detrimental impact on sporting events across the world. Premier League football suffered extensively, with no fans allowed in the stadiums along with proper social distancing guidelines during the fixtures. Further tightening the regulations, the FA rules now stipulate that a player will be sent off if he coughs deliberately at an opponent or the match officials.

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Football news: Straight red card for deliberate coughing, suggest FA rules 

According to a report by The Times, the FA has come out with a set of new rules keeping in view the raging coronavirus cases across the world. According to the new FA rules, a player will receive a straight red card if he deliberately coughs on the players or the match officials. This, the report suggests, has been done to avoid the spread of coronavirus via droplets. 

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Football news: Police action for FA rule violation 

The new FA rules will come into force immediately and will be implemented across all levels of the sport in the UK. The player might also face possible police action for violating the FA guidelines. The FA rules' document reads, "Where the referee is certain that someone deliberately, and from close range, coughed into the face of an opponent or match official … the referee should take action under the law 12 i.e. using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures."

The referees have also been asked to urge the players not to spit during the course of the game. Similar actions such as nose-clearing are strongly discouraged. The FA rules suggest that if the player has already been issued a warning and he deliberately ignores it, then the referee should mention the specific details in the match report once it concludes. 

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Coronavirus: VAR to check FA rules' violation 

The Premier League season 2019-20 has already concluded. This implies that the new FA rules will come into effect in the competition from next season. Meanwhile, the report also suggests that a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check will also be done on allegations of coughing or spitting to ascertain any violation of the rules. 

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Image courtesy: AP