Blatter eager to avoid yellow threat
Tuesday, 4 July 2006 14:52FIFA president Sepp Blatter will consider a rule change allowing three yellow cards before a suspension in future World Cups and has called for a crackdown on players feigning injury to disrupt matches.
Currently, two bookings in the group stage or knockout phase leads to a one-match ban for a player.
Blatter told a news conference in Berlin: 'In the future there should perhaps be three yellow cards in a round before a suspension, and this is something we will take up.
'This would avoid players in the semi-finals on one yellow card who by bad luck may get a second and cannot play in the final.'
Blatter also blasted as 'cheating' those players who try to halt attacks by opposing teams by calling for treatment on the pitch.
He said: 'This is abusing the system. Players are just lying down and inviting the other team to kick the ball out.
'This is increasing and it is nothing more than cheating, and this is something we will look at in the future.'
Meanwhile, Blatter said football had been cleared of any involvement in the doping scandal that has rocked Spain.
'I have heard from the minister of culture and education and he has said no football players or tennis players from Spain or foreign countries are involved in this operation,' said Blatter.
Blatter also confirmed Brazil was almost certain to be the hosts of the 2014 World Cup, which is to be played in South America under FIFA's rotation system.
No other South American country has expressed an interest but Brazil still need to satisfy FIFA they have the necessary laws and potential facilities available to host the tournament.
