The use of temporary time suspensions (‘sin bins) and the exclusion of a player arising from the issuing of a red card are the recommended disciplinary sanctions for use in small-sided football. Match officials should employ the use of temporary timed suspensions (blue cards) in all cases traditionally regarded as cautionable offences.

Referees shall also have the discretion to use a second ‘blue card’ and a further period of suspension for a second minor offence rather than a second blue card automatically resulting in a red card and permanent expulsion.

The options for a match official imposing disciplinary sanctions are therefore;

A player temporarily suspended from play will be shown a blue card by the match official and informed that he/she shall be suspended from play for two minutes.

The player is obliged to leave the playing area and remain in a designated ‘sin bin’ area for the required suspension time. Separate ‘sin bin’ areas should be identified for each team. If no designated ‘sin bin’ areas are provided then suspended players should remain in the area where they can be seen by the referee and adjacent to team officials and substitutes.

A player will be informed as to the end of a period of suspension by the referee or match official and invited to region the game. Where barricades are used the players must use the opening onto the playing area.