Offbeat | More than 10,000 words have been cut from football laws

More than 10,000 words have been cut from the “Laws of the Game” ahead of the European Championship, but don’t expect the changes to make the games in France any less controversial.
The biggest change introduced by IFAB, the body that writes the rules of football, helps defenders when they try to prevent an attacker from scoring. Until now, when a defender fouls an opponent in the penalty area, he could concede a penalty, be sent off and face a one-­match suspension.
Now, IFAB has ruled that if a defender is making a genuine attempt to play the ball, the referee can choose to only show him a yellow card.
The referee’s interpretation of what exactly is a “genuine attempt,” however, is sure to cause endless debate.
Tournament referees will be briefing players and coaches about the changes this week as teams arrive in France to prepare for the Euro 2016.
“The main reason for the change,” IFAB said, “is that a penalty kick is a very good opportunity to score a goal so it ‘restores’ the goal scoring opportunity that was lost by the DOGSO (Denial of a Goal-Scoring Opportunity) offense.”
If a player handles the ball in the penalty area, or doesn’t try to get the ball when you tackle, it’ll still be a red card.
“Our aim was to make it easier for everyone involved with football to read and understand the Laws and to achieve this,” IFAB said.
IFAB is made up of the four British football associations and four FIFA representatives.
The editing process has resulted in dozens of minor tweaks that could cause confusion at all levels of the game, not just the professional matches at the European Championship or the Copa America in the United States.
In advice to match officials accompanying the new laws, IFAB urged referees to use common sense and to apply the “spirit of the game” when making decisions.
“This is especially true for the lower levels of football, where it may not always be possible for the Law to be strictly applied,” IFAB said. AP