AFC officially approves new refereeing amendments

The Asian Football Confederation has made a new decision regarding the implementation of several optional amendments to the laws of the game during its continental competitions, primarily the AFC Champions League.

The Asian Football Confederation has decided to adopt two out of four new optional amendments, a move that could have a clear impact on player behavior and referee decisions during matches.

Under the first amendment, referees can now issue a red card to any player who leaves the pitch in protest of a refereeing decision, in an attempt to curb mass protests or actions that disrupt the flow of the match.

The second amendment concerns the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, allowing the video referee to conduct a quick review to verify the correctness of a corner kick decision if it is determined that the referee awarded it to the team incorrectly.

In contrast, the Asian Football Confederation has rejected two other amendments. The first relates to issuing a red card to a player who covers their mouth during disputes or protests, while the second amendment restricts communication with the referee to the team captain only in certain cases.

These amendments will place players under new restrictions regarding protesting refereeing decisions, while also granting VAR an additional role in certain cases that were previously outside the review scope.