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Football's law-makers will decide on Saturday whether to introduce a change to the rule book which could lead to a dramatic drop in red cards - but there will be no discussion on changes to the offside rule.
The International FA Board (IFAB) meeting in Zurich will rule on a FIFA proposal where players would no longer receive an automatic red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity if the referee gives a penalty as well.
There have been reports that FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been investigating how hockey plays without offsides, but FIFA insists there is no suggestion that he wants to bring this into football.
The main item on the agenda is the automatic red card and there has been a growing chorus of opinion that the punishment is too harsh - a penalty, a red card for the offender and a subsequent suspension.
Carling Cup final referee Phil Dowd came under fire when he awarded a penalty but did not dismiss Nemanja Vidic for fouling Gabriel Agbonlahor last Sunday.
A rule change would clear up such grey areas and FIFA has submitted the item suggesting the offence is down-graded to a yellow card if a penalty is awarded.
The IFAB agenda says the FIFA submission is "to discuss sending-off offences, particularly the triple punishment (penalty kick, red card, player suspension) that results when a player denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to the opposing team.''
The IFAB is made up of the four home nations, who each have one vote, and FIFA, which has four. Any rule change needs a minimum of six votes in favour.
Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith said discussion would centre around whether the current tough sanctions act as a deterrent.
"It's an interesting one and we need to explore whether a player might be less likely to commit a foul because of the existing punishment" Smith told Press Association Sport. "It could be a preventative measure, a deterrent. If you just have yellow card you might have a lot more penalties.''
FIFA is also raising the issue of whether players should be allowed to feint at all during the run-up to take a penalty - for some penalty-takers such as Robbie Keane it has become a trademark of their spot-kick routine. The current law is open to interpretation with feinting being permitted unless the referee considers it "an act of unsporting behaviour''.
The role of the fourth official will be brought up by the SFA who want him or her to be allowed to have direct influence with the referee over decisions on the pitch. As things stand, the referee is supposed to only referee with his linesmen while the fourth official is concerned with policing the technical area.
"The fourth official may have a better view than the referee but at the moment they can't influence his decision," Smith said. "We think they should have a little bit more of an input.''
Smith may also raise Thierry Henry's escape from any disciplinary action over his handball in the World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland. Henry was investigated by FIFA's disciplinary committee but they decided there was nothing in the rule book under which they could punish the France striker for his handball
The latest developments in goal-line technology and the on-going experiment in the Europa League of having two extra assistant referees behind each goal-line will also be discussed.
The International FA Board (IFAB) meeting in Zurich will rule on a FIFA proposal where players would no longer receive an automatic red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity if the referee gives a penalty as well.
There have been reports that FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been investigating how hockey plays without offsides, but FIFA insists there is no suggestion that he wants to bring this into football.
The main item on the agenda is the automatic red card and there has been a growing chorus of opinion that the punishment is too harsh - a penalty, a red card for the offender and a subsequent suspension.
Carling Cup final referee Phil Dowd came under fire when he awarded a penalty but did not dismiss Nemanja Vidic for fouling Gabriel Agbonlahor last Sunday.
A rule change would clear up such grey areas and FIFA has submitted the item suggesting the offence is down-graded to a yellow card if a penalty is awarded.
The IFAB agenda says the FIFA submission is "to discuss sending-off offences, particularly the triple punishment (penalty kick, red card, player suspension) that results when a player denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to the opposing team.''
The IFAB is made up of the four home nations, who each have one vote, and FIFA, which has four. Any rule change needs a minimum of six votes in favour.
Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith said discussion would centre around whether the current tough sanctions act as a deterrent.
"It's an interesting one and we need to explore whether a player might be less likely to commit a foul because of the existing punishment" Smith told Press Association Sport. "It could be a preventative measure, a deterrent. If you just have yellow card you might have a lot more penalties.''
FIFA is also raising the issue of whether players should be allowed to feint at all during the run-up to take a penalty - for some penalty-takers such as Robbie Keane it has become a trademark of their spot-kick routine. The current law is open to interpretation with feinting being permitted unless the referee considers it "an act of unsporting behaviour''.
The role of the fourth official will be brought up by the SFA who want him or her to be allowed to have direct influence with the referee over decisions on the pitch. As things stand, the referee is supposed to only referee with his linesmen while the fourth official is concerned with policing the technical area.
"The fourth official may have a better view than the referee but at the moment they can't influence his decision," Smith said. "We think they should have a little bit more of an input.''
Smith may also raise Thierry Henry's escape from any disciplinary action over his handball in the World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland. Henry was investigated by FIFA's disciplinary committee but they decided there was nothing in the rule book under which they could punish the France striker for his handball
The latest developments in goal-line technology and the on-going experiment in the Europa League of having two extra assistant referees behind each goal-line will also be discussed.
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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