The 115th Annual Meeting of the International Football Association Board was held in Edinburgh, Scotland on 1Oth March 2001. The amendments to the Laws of the Game and various instructions and directives are listed below.

1. AMENDMENTS TO THE LAWS OF THE GAME

NOTES ON THE LAWS OF THE GAME

New text:

Modifications

Subject to the agreement of the nationals associations concerned and provided the  principles of these laws are maintained, the Laws may be modified in their application for matches for players of under 16 years of age, for women footballers, for veteran footballers (over 35 years) and for players with disabilities.

Reason: This change recognises the large number of players with disabilities who play football and permits appropriate modifications to the laws to enable them to take part in officially organised competitions.

LAW 3 - THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS

New text:

Decisions of the International FA Board

Decision 2

A team official may convey tactical instructions to the players during the match and must return to his position after doing so. All team officials must remain within the confines of the technical area, where such an area is provided and they must behave in a responsible manner.

Reason:

The new text recognises that tactical instructions may be given by different team officials during the match provided the person returns to his or her position after giving these instructions and behaves in a responsible manner. The statement that the team official must return immediately to his or her position has been removed.

LAW 12 - FOULS AND MISCONDUCT

New text:

Indirect free kick

Delete bullet point 5

- Wastes time

Decisions of the International FA Board

Decision 3

Delete the final paragraph:

The goalkeeper is considered to be guilty of time-wasting if he holds the ball in his hands or arms for more than 5-6 seconds.

Reason:

Both texts are no longer necessary because of the alteration to Law 12 in 2000 which stated that a goalkeeper is permitted to control the ball with his hands or arms for up to six seconds

Disciplinary Sanctions

New text:

Only a player or substitute or substituted player may be shown the red or yellow card.

Reason:

This clarifies the use of red and yellow cards

Sending Off Offence

To be added after Sending Off Offence No.7

A player who has been sent off must leave the vicinity of the field of play and the technical area.

Reason:

This clarifies the situation for players who have been sent off.

Decisions of the International FA Board

Decision 1

Delete. The decisions 2 to 6 became decisions 1 to 5 respectively.

Reason:

This confirms the sanction to be taken as stated in the Question and Answers Book on the laws of the Game, when an object is thrown at an opponent from a distance.

KICKS FROM THE PENALTY MARK

New title:

PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE THE WINNER OF A MATCH

The Golden Goal and taking kicks from the penalty mark are methods of determining the winning team where competition rules require there to be a winning team after a match has been drawn.

The Golden Goal

Procedure

- During the period of extra time played at the end of normal playing time the team which scores the first goal is declared the winner.

- If no goals are scored the match is decided by kicks from the penalty mark.

Kicks from the Penalty Mark

Procedure

Text remains unchanged

Reason:

To formally recognise the approval by the International FA Board of the Golden Goal as one of the possible procedures to determine the winner of the match.

2. INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS AND DIRECTIVES

Holding and Pulling

The International FA Board expresses its concern at the amount of holding and pulling which was prevalent in football today. It recognised that not every instance of holding and pulling of jerseys and shorts was unsporting behaviour, as is also the case with deliberate handball. It expressed regret, however, that referees were not applying the Laws fully in dealing with blatant cases of holding and pulling and issued the following Mandatory Instruction:

Referees are instructed that, in the case of blatant holding and pulling, the offence must be sanctioned by a direct free kick, or a penalty kick if the offence is committed inside the penalty area, and the player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour.

Treatment of Injured Players

The Board considered the problems caused by injuries to players. It was of the opinion that referees should allow players to return to the field of play as soon as possible after they have recovered from injury. In this respect, and in the case of players returning from treatment for a bleeding injury, referees may be assisted by the fourth official, where one has been appointed to the match.
The Board also expressed its concern at the loss of playing time caused by the assessment of injuries to players and their removal from the field of play. The safety of the players must always be the main priority, however referees are instructed to add the full amount of time lost for these and any other reasons at the end of each period of play.