Barcelona Blog
The antics of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez during a World Cup penalty shootout are set to cause a major change in the penalty kick rules next season.
Martinez was the hero of Argentina’s penalty shootout victory against the Netherlands in the semi-finals and France in the World Cup final, which his country won for the third time in its history.
But his playing skill and delaying tactics aimed at distracting opponents angered the IFAB.
Ifab is making changes that will prevent goalkeepers from interfering and seeking to provoke penalty takers, starting next season.
Martínez wasn’t the only one whose behavior was deemed too dangerous by FIFA and IFAB as Dutchman Andres Noppert experimented with it and there was concern about the goalkeeper’s crazy dances in a penalty kick against Australia.
As a result, the International Football Association Board agreed last week that goalkeepers should not be allowed to delay taking penalties or “unfairly distract the kicker”.
The drafting of new regulations will now be considered for ratification at the General Assembly meeting in London in March before the laws are rewritten.
Source: The Sun
