UEFA President Michel Platini is defending the idea of introducing white cards into soccer even though it is vehemetly opposed by FIFA and in particular, FIFA President Sepp Blatter. The white card will be for offenses like diving and dissent that might be a little too harsh with a yellow card. A player who would receive a white card would go into a penalty box for an unspecified period of time and not result in yellow or red cards.
Platini wants soccer to be able to look at other sports and borrow concepts that work over there to see if it works in soccer. He is quoted as saying, “I think we should learn from other sports, like rugby, who have used this system.”
This is interesting considering Platini has been against goal-line technology in soccer even though it has been widely successful in other sports as well as in soccer leagues like the EPL.
There is no doubt this rule is different and is completely unprecedented in soccer. A rule like this is going to have to be passed at the FIFA level and not just be a UEFA rule. I, for one, am keeping an open mind with this idea than many other people and that it could potentially work. I do agree that things like diving and time wasting are horrible and need to be taken out of the game but referees for one reason or another don’t want to or are afraid to pull out a card for this type of behavior. Even though a referee should technically give a card for something like diving, or “simulation,” it happens very rarely compared to the times that it happens. Maybe a “white card” can stop that kind of thing.
