Football chiefs APPROVE plans to trial sin bins after crunch talks in London – with only team captains able to approach the referee in a bid to stamp out abuse towards officials

Sin bins are set to be trialled at higher levels of professional football after the International Football Association Board (IFAB) met in London on Tuesday to discuss the laws of the game.

As part of the approved proposal, only team captains will be able to approach the referees with football’s chiefs eager to increase respect towards officials and stamp out abuse.

During IFAB’s Annual Business Meeting in the capital, it was agreed that team captains will be able to approach the referee in ‘certain major situations’. 

The new proposals come in the wake of Mail Sport’s campaign to kick out the mistreatment of officials in football, sparked by the harrowing accounts of abuse shared by grassroots referees on the It’s All Kicking off podcast.

Ten-minute sin bins will be trialled ‘for dissent and specific tactical offences’ after being successfully implemented within grassroots football.

Sin bins have been hugely popular since their introduction into grassroots and junior football in England in 2019, with players who display words or actions of dissent forced to leave the pitch for 10 minutes of the match.

The successful trial of match officials wearing body cameras at grassroots level was also discussed during the meeting in London – and football’s lawmakers will continue to monitor their value.

Brighton captain Lewis Dunk was sent off by Anthony Taylor this weekend after persistently arguing with the official even after being initially shown a yellow card for dissent. 

More to follow.