The evolution and future of the rules of soccer
In soccer, as in all sports, there are a series of rules and regulations that facilitate control over the game. Also, they allow guaranteeing that this wonderful sport is practiced in a clean and unified form no matter where in the world it is practiced because at the end of accounts is the most popular sport in the whole planet.
In this article, we will make a tour through soccer rules and regulations, pass through their beginnings, their actuality and arrive until the near future of them, enjoy it.
History and background
It all started in 1863, at Taberna Freemasons' in London, the place where soccer had its beginnings. There was born what is now the Football Association or FA ( the entity that acts as the Federation of football of England), and especially the soccer rules and regulations.
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20 years before that, some parameters had already been defined to play the game. However, no text had been officially consolidated until that time in 1963. Originally 14 rules were included, which would evolve until their number was expanded to 17 in 1937. Time for which FIFA had already taken control of this regulation.
The role of FIFA
FIFA (International Federation of Associated Football), is the entity that runs and organizes this sport worldwide, and therefore, are in charge of administering all its regulation. Founded in Paris in 1904, FIFA represented seven countries: Spain, France, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Years later it would end up joining with what it was the FA until becoming the organism that united to all the countries that practice the soccer as we know today.
Summarizing the rules
Basically, in soccer rules and regulations, all aspects necessary to ensure the control and transparency of a party are defined. In the set of rules is from the minimum dimensions that must have a court, to the parameters of action of the referees, including the fourth referee and reserve assistant.
These rules can be grouped as follows:
1. Game elements
a. The Field Of Play. Here the minimum and maximum dimensions of a court are established: its length, the size of the central circumference, etc.
b. The Ball. Defines the size, weight, material and air minimum pressure that any ball must have in any place.
c. The Number Of Players. It states, for example, that each team plays with a maximum of 11 players and cannot play with less than 7.
d. The Player's Equipment. This section sets out the parameters of the uniform, the accessories that players can and cannot wear.
2. Referees
a. The Referee. It first defines that the referee is the highest authority in a match, also describes its faculties, limitations, and the criteria to act in diverse situations like the injury of one of the goalkeepers.
b. The Assistant Referees. The number of auxiliary referees is established, there must be minimum two on each turn (one on each side of the court).
3. The duration of the match. At this point, it is defined that a party has two halves of 45 minutes and that there is a 15-minute descent between each. It also defines the extra times, when and under what conditions they are used.
4. The Start and Restart of Play. It simply shows under what conditions a match can be started, including the previous draw, when to stop it and how it resumes.
5. The Ball In or Out of Play . Defines the moments in which the ball is in dispute between the two teams, for example, when leaving the court, the game stops and resumes with a throw-in, a corner kick or a goal kick.
6. The Method of Scoring . This defines in what circumstances it can, play, score as a goal. For example, if the goal is scored by hand, it cannot be validated.
7. Offside . This is one of the rules that causes more controversy. This rule defines when a player of the other team is in a position where he cannot play the ball.
8. Fouls and Misconduct. This is one of the longest sections and defines when a player commits a foul or misconduct. Also it establishes the different penalties that he can suffer for it, for example, a yellow or red card .
9. Stopped Ball. Establishes the types of plays when the ball is stopped (free kicks, the penalty kick, the goal kick, and the corner kick), how to proceed in each one and under which circumstance each one is generated.
Some changes that have changed soccer
Since they were introduced, the rules of soccer have had many changes, some of them completely changed the physiognomy of the game. One of these changes was the use of whistle by an umpire, this took place in 1878. Years later, in 1891, the penalty kick was introduced for the first time.
Another very important change occurred in 1992, from which goalkeepers could no longer take the ball with their hands after a teammate passes the ball to them.
The most recent changes
In June 2016, the most recent changes were made to soccer rules and regulations. One of the most important changes is that each team can make a fourth change when a match goes overtime. Another very important is that both hands and arms cannot be considered at the time of an offside.
Technology in soccer
As in all human activity, technology has penetrated into soccer, although for many it is a practice that takes away the essence of this sport. Technology is currently used to determine if a ball crosses or not completely the goal line, this being an action that causes many errors.
Precisely that is what is sought, reduce errors, especially of the referees and thus prevent the result of a match is adjusted only to the game. However, one of the strongest fears in this regard is that the dynamics of the game will be affected, removing emotion. What is certain is that technology is inevitable, we must find the right way to implement it in soccer.
