NOTES AND MODIFICATIONS

Guidelines for Temporary Dismissals

Updated as from 1st July 2024

Introduction

Temporary dismissals (sin bins) for all or some cautionable (YC) offences are an option in youth, veterans, disability and grassroots football competitions, subject to the approval of the competition’s national FA, confederation or FIFA (whichever is appropriate).

The 138th Annual General Meeting of The IFAB approved a revised version of the ‘Guidelines for temporary dismissals (sin bins)’, which, as with all Law changes, are effective as from 1st July 2024 but may be introduced earlier.

Changes to the substance of the guidelines are underlined; editorial changes are not marked.

Reference to temporary dismissals is found in:

Law 5. The Referee

5.3 Powers and duties – Disciplinary action

The referee has the power to show yellow or red cards and, where competition rules permit, temporarily dismiss a player, from entering the field of play at the start of the match until after the match has ended, including during the half-time interval, extra time and penalties (penalty shoot-out).

A temporary dismissal is when a player commits a cautionable (YC) offence and is punished by an immediate ‘suspension’ from participating in the next part of the match. The philosophy is that an ‘instant punishment’ can have a significant and immediate positive influence on the behaviour of the offending player and, potentially, the player’s team.

The national FA, confederation or FIFA should approve (for publication in the competition rules) a temporary dismissal protocol within the following guidelines:

Players only

  • Temporary dismissals apply to all players (including goalkeepers) but not to cautionable (YC) offences committed by a substitute or substituted player

Referee’s signal

  • The referee will indicate a temporary dismissal by showing a yellow card and then clearly pointing with both arms to the temporary dismissal area (usually the player’s technical area)

Temporary dismissal period

  • The length of the temporary dismissal is the same for all offences
  • The length of the temporary dismissal should be 10–15% of the total playing time (e.g. 10 minutes in a 90-minute match; 8 minutes in an 80-minute match)
  • The temporary dismissal period begins when play restarts after the player has left the field of play
  • The referee should include in the temporary dismissal period any time ‘lost’ for a stoppage for which ‘additional time’ will be allowed at the end of the half (e.g. substitution, injury, goal celebration, etc.)
  • Competitions must decide who will help the referee time the dismissal period – it could be the responsibility of a delegate, fourth official or neutral assistant referee; conversely it could be a team official
  • Once the temporary dismissal period has been completed, the player can return from the touchline with the referee’s permission, when the ball is next out of play
  • The referee has the final decision as to when the player can return
  • A temporarily dismissed player can only be substituted after the temporary dismissal period has ended (and only if the team has not used all its permitted substitutes and/or substitution opportunities, if applicable)
  • If a temporary dismissal period has not been completed at the end of the first half, the remaining period is served from the start of the second half; this also applies in extra time
  • If a temporary dismissal period has not been completed at the end of the second half when extra time is to be played, the remaining period is served from the start of extra time
  • A player who is still serving a temporary dismissal at the end of the match is permitted to take part in penalties (penalty shoot-out) as temporary dismissals are not used during penalties (penalty shoot-out)

Temporary dismissal area

  • A temporarily dismissed player should remain within the technical area (where one exists) or with the team’s coach/technical staff, unless ‘warming up’ (under the same conditions as a substitute)

Offences during a temporary dismissal period

  • A temporarily dismissed player who commits a cautionable (YC) or sending-off (RC) offence during their temporary dismissal period will take no further part in the match and may not be replaced or substituted

Further disciplinary action

  • Competitions/national FAs will decide if temporary dismissals must be reported to the appropriate authorities and whether any further disciplinary action may be taken e.g. suspension for accumulating a number of temporary dismissals, as with ‘standard’ cautions (YCs)

Temporary dismissal systems

A competition may use either of the following temporary dismissal systems:

  • System A – for all cautionable (YC) offences
  • System B – for some cautionable (YC) offences

System A – temporary dismissal for all cautionable (YC) offences

  • All cautionable (YC) offences are punished with a temporary dismissal
  • A player who receives a second caution (YC) in the same match:
    • will serve a second temporary dismissal period and then take no further part in the match
    • may be replaced by a substitute at the end of the second temporary dismissal period if the player’s team has not used its maximum number of substitutes and/or substitution opportunities, if applicable (this is because the team has already been ‘punished’ by playing without that player for two temporary dismissal periods)

System B – temporary dismissal for some cautionable (YC) offences*

  • A predefined list of cautionable (YC) offences will be punished by a temporary dismissal
  • All other cautionable (YC) offences are punished with a yellow card but no temporary dismissal
  • A player who receives two cautions (YCs) in the same match is sent off (RC), even if one caution is/both cautions are for a temporary dismissal offence

*Some competitions may find it valuable to use temporary dismissals only for offences relating to ‘inappropriate’ behaviour, e.g.

  • Simulation
  • Deliberately delaying the opposing team’s restart of the match
  • Dissent or verbal comments or gestures
  • Stopping or interfering with a promising attack by holding, pulling, pushing or deliberate handball
  • Kicker illegally feinting at a penalty kick
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