Ronaldo’s yellow card in yesterday’s game stirred a lot of controversy on the social media.
The FIFA, for the first time in this world cup, brought VAR (Video Assistant Referee). It has been in limelight throughout the World Cup, and yesterday, it caused controversy and confusion alike amongst most football fans.
So how do the laws regarding fouls really function in a World Cup? Here, take my hand.
Naah mate first tell me what happened yesterday.
Calm down. We got you.
According to David Ellaray, who is the technical director for IFAB (International Football Association Board) – A body that determines the laws of the game of association football, if there is something away from the action which is missed by the referee and later comes to the attention of VAR (Video Assistant Referee), they can inform the referee and “can send the player off.”
Simply, it means that if there is an off-the-ball incident on the pitch, referees will be able to dish out the cards. Ronaldo’s incident yesterday was off-the-ball, hence the VAR spotted the foul and informed the referee straightaway.
Oh. But it looked like a red card.
This is where it all gets complicated. There was a clear foul by Cristiano Ronaldo. The rule regarding fouls change slightly when it is made ‘off-the-ball’. And unsurprisingly, according to the rulebook, it was a red card offence.
“When you are not contesting for the ball, any contact with the face of the opponent is deemed to be a red card offence,” states the law.
THEN WHY WASN’T HE SENT OFF
As we mentioned earlier, it’s complicated. VAR may give you a clearer view of the foul, but it comes down to referee’s interpretation of the foul. Referee may have not deemed the foul malicious enough for a red card.
It’s like in cricket, where there is a provision of umpire’s call in DRS.
Or maybe just because he was Ronaldo he wasn’t sent off.
It’s human nature to interpret.
Anyway, tell me about the card ruling for the World Cups.
World Cup follows the rulebook. Two yellow cards in a match lead to a red, and one match suspension. A direct red card would also result in the same.
All the yellow cards would be wiped out in the quarterfinal stage of the tournament. From that stage on-wards, players will start clean again.
Why do yellow cards wipe out, though?
FIFA wanted to make sure that the important players are not suspended for the big games. It happened once when Germany’s Michael Ballack was forced to miss the final of World Cup 2002 after he picked his second yellow card of the knock-out round in the semifinal. Germany lost the final 2-0 to Brazil.
