The Premier League is looking at keeping a lid on simulation more from next season.
It hopes to achieve this by introducing two match ban rules. From the forthcoming season, the Premier League would look at punishing simulation retrospectively. Also, the body introduced an offence tagged ‘successful deception of a match official.’
The FA in a statement shed more light on the offence:
“Where there is clear and overwhelming evidence to suggest a match official has been deceived by an act of simulation, and as a direct result, the offending player’s team has been awarded a penalty and/or an opposing player has been dismissed, the FA will be able to act retrospectively under its Fast Track system.”
The FA also added that a three man panel would be the one handling the independent reviews. The panel would consists of a former manager, an ex player and a former match official, to bring the balance from all angles. The panel would look at the video evidence independently and advise the FA if it was an offence. When the three report a guilty verdict, charges would then be enforced.
Summarily, from next term when players feign injury or simulate what is not, they would be liable to a two match ban. An example was when Swansea City visited Manchester United recently. Forward Marcus Rashford appears to have gone down easily when he had contact with goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Swansea manager Paul Clement claimed the replays showed that Rashford deceived the referee. In such situation if the panel finds him guilty, Rashford would miss the next two matches.
Robert Huth applauded the new laws when he heard of them. He went online to support the move. He even hinted on a joking note that the FA should consider players that pretend to be injured or that cry when they lose.