All you need to know about booking cards

All you need to about booking cards

A football game without yellow and red cards is now unimaginable. But how many of you know that the card system wasn't in existence till the 1968 Olympics!

The card system was invented by an Englishman by the name of Ken Aston. He was a referee himself, notably known as the referee of the 1962 World Cup match between hosts Chile and Switzerland. The match is also known as the ‘Battle of Santiago’. Aston, who was distraught by the menace of incessant rough play in 1962 and 1966 World Cups, devised a novel method to check the player’s behavior on the pitch. He came with a yellow and red card system post 1966 World Cup in his native England.

FIFA used this system on a pilot basis in 1968 Olympic Games. It was not until 1982 that FIFA made the cards mandatory in all the competitive or friendly football matches.

How do you get a Yellow or a Red Card?

There are in total seven offences for which an on-field player or a substitute or a substituted player or anyone participating in a game can get himself booked for -

• Wasting time in order to delay the match restarting.

• Offensive behavior through words or action, e.g. swearing or aggressive play.

• Unsporting behavior, e.g. extravagant celebrations or removing shirt after goal scoring.

• Failure to maintain the 10 yard distance required when a corner kick or throw-in is being taken.

• Entering or leaving the field of play without the referees’ permission.

• Persistent infringement of the laws of the game e.g. repeated fouls.

A substitute can be given a yellow or a red card for:

• Wasting time in order to delay the match restarting.

• Offensive behavior through words or action, e.g. swearing or aggressive play.

• Unsporting behavior, e.g. extravagant celebrations or removing shirt after goal scoring.