UEFA tells referees to clamp down on time-wasting | OneFootball

European referees will prioritise punishing time-wasting from this season, targeting feigned injuries and slow restarts.

UEFA said the directive followed a summit with refereeing chiefs from the 55 associations, European officials and IFAB, aimed at consistency and quicker play.

VAR use will be tightened to clear and obvious errors or missed incidents. Extended on-field checks are seen as evidence the original decision was neither clear nor correct.

VAR may correct mistaken identity on a second yellow that brings a dismissal. For a first caution it can only identify the right player, though a card could be rescinded if no foul occurred.

Unlike FIFA counterpart Pierluigi Collina, UEFA referees chief Roberto Rosetti will not back routine hydration breaks, except in extreme heat. The focus is on curbing deliberate delays.

Goalkeepers were already guided to release within eight seconds, except when under threat of conceding a corner. From now, substitutions are capped at 10 seconds, otherwise the substitute waits one minute to enter.

If the player replaced is the goalkeeper, the offender will be booked for delaying the restart. Injured players should leave for one minute unless on-field treatment is required, the penalty taker is hurt, or the injury follows a foul punished by a booking or a red card, with head impacts always checked off the pitch.

To deter tactical stoppages by goalkeepers, in most cases an outfield player must leave for one minute if play is halted for a real or suspected keeper injury.

Source: Superdeporte