Fifa mulling over rule changes

Published on Thursday 2 February 2012 02:52

Fifa yesterday promised a “definitive decision” on the use of goal-line technology would be made at this summer’s International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting.

The game’s world governing body also confirmed the preceding IFAB meeting next month would include a discussion on whether to allow teams to make a fourth substitution during matches that go into extra-time.

In addition, the 3 March gathering in Surrey will look at proposed changes to the rule which sees players sent off and suspended for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity in instances which also see a penalty awarded.

Those are among eight proposals and amendments to the laws of the game on the agenda.

The experiments into goal-line technology and additional assistant referees will be discussed next month. But a final decision on the future of both will be taken at a special meeting which is planned for July 2, the day after the European Championship final.

Meanwhile, last night’s Serie A clash between Atalanta and Genoa was postponed due to heavy snowfall in Bergamo.

Snow had fallen intermittently in the northern city throughout the day and the referee, having initially delayed the kick-off by one hour, finally decided the pitch at the Atleti Azzurri d’Italia stadium was unplayable shortly before 7pm local time.

A statement from Atalanta read: “For safety reasons, the game between Atalanta and Genoa has been postponed.”

It was the fourth fixture this week to be called off because of the ongoing bad weather in northern Italy, where night-time temperatures are expected to dip below minus 10 degrees centigrade in the coming days. Earlier yesterday, matches at Bologna and Siena scheduled for last night also fell foul of the elements. Bologna were due to host Fiorentina at the Renato Dall’ Ara stadium while Siena were set to face Catania at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Tuesday’s match between Parma and league leaders Juventus was also called off due to heavy snow.

New dates for the fixtures have yet to be confirmed.

Last night’s remaining fixtures at Cagliari, Inter Milan, Lazio, Napoli and Udinese were all set to go ahead, along with today’s encounter between Novara and Chievo.

Elsewhere, the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) has suspended 80 players, including the core of the national team, on suspicion of being linked to a match-fixing scandal involving Asian betting syndicates, state media reported yesterday.

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