IFAB announce law changes

IFAB announce law changes ahead of new season as they soften punishment for fouls inside the box and trial video technology

• The International Football Association Board has unveiled some new laws 
• From next season the 'triple-punishment' penalty box rule will be banished 
• Trials of a VAR (Video Assistant Referees) system will take place in Italy
• The ball will be able to move in any direction from kick-off, not just forward

A two-year video technology trial is one of a number of significant rule changes being introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) for next season.

The Zurich-based body, which determines the laws of the game, has approved a trial period of video technology to aid referees.

The trial will take place in Italy and will be utilized in four cases: to determine if a goal has been scored, red cards, penalties and mistaken identity. ... 

See the whole story here, courtesy of Mail Online.

There is a great synopsis of the changes here, from IFAB. You can also get the 2016/17 LOTG here from IFAB.

Kicking Back Comments: While here in the US we do not have to implement these changes now (anyone recall why?) we must continue to deal with the fallout from the new "recommendation" from US Soccer regarding 10 year olds heading the ball.

Kudos to IFAB for trying to make this easier for referees. The LOTG went from about 22K words to 12K words and the format seems to be much cleaner from the version I have from IFAB.

I personally am not crazy about the softening of the "triple punishment" rule as when players start meddling with the fabric of the game (i.e. goals being scored) I think the punishment was appropriate.

Other "changes" are not really changes at all, but verbalization of practices that have existed for some time but have not been put into the text of the LOTG. Generally they make their way into publications like "advise to referees" or other "guidance" type documents.

All and all, for me, a big step forward for HOW the LOTG are presented. Some of the particular law changes (like triple punishment changes and VAR's) ... meh.