New refereeing guidelines and FIFA's proposed clampdown

From FIFA's weekend meeting (pdf file):

Looking ahead to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the Board supported FIFA's request that special instructions be issued to the match officials who will be in action in Germany. As a result, they will be asked to severely sanction all cases of elbowing, reckless tackling and serious foul play with red cards, while shirt-pulling and holding an opponent will incur a yellow card. Furthermore, referees will also be told to caution any player who provokes a confrontation with an opponent by deliberately interfering with the ball after the referee has stopped play.

You listening, Brazil?

In FIFA's presentation, the U.S.'s John O'Brien makes an appearance, getting a little revenge on Borgetti. That kind if studs-up tackle will allegedly be banned, along with elbowing and kicking the ball out of play. Brazil's squad make appearances in several of the "no-no" infringements.



But FIFA being the bureaucratic monolith that it is has also asked referees to caution players who appear "to take a throw-in but suddenly leav[e] it to one of his team-mates to throw-in." Stupid rule. That kind of thing happens even when players are trying to speed up the game, letting longer throwers toss it into the other teams, goal area. Just ask Jay-Jay Okocha.

There is also this list in the International Football Association Board's presentation, not all of which FIFA has spelled out. Any clues, anyone, as to what "the Wall" concerns where?

Elbowing
Tackling
Shirt-pulling
Delaying the restart of play
Attitude towards referees
Jewellery
the Wall
Simulation