The Premier League has announced stricter sanctions for players and managers who contest officials decisions.

In a move that is undoubtedly long overdue, the aim is to allow referees and assistants to do their jobs without being bullied, barracked, surrounded or intimidated by players and coaches during games.

Speaking about the plan, which aims to improve behaviour, they say, “This will focus on behaviour towards match officials, with the aim of reducing disrespectful conduct such as aggressively challenging decisions or running from distance to confront an official.”

This has been broken down into four areas.

Dissent towards match officials

Yellow cards will be issued to players who:

Show visibly disrespectful behaviour to any match official

Respond aggressively to decisions

Confront an official face to face

Run towards an official to contest a decision

Offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards match officials

Red cards will be issued to players who confront match officials and use offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards them.

Physical contact with match officials

A yellow card for physical contact with any match official in a non-aggressive manner (e.g. an inquisitive approach to grab the official’s attention).

A red card for physical contact with match officials in an aggressive or confrontational manner.

Conduct in the technical area

Behaviour by players and club staff in the technical area will be more rigorously enforced

The requirements of the Technical Area Code of Conduct will be more rigorously enforced for players and club staff.

Additionally, match officials will be required to retain professional detachment from players and club staff at all times.

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Officials and referees almost never change their minds despite protests, and regardless of how we view match officials and their competence at times, it’s about time footballers showed more respect.

Look at the way rugby operates: what the referee says goes, end of story, and that’s the way it should be. What would be interesting is if this were tied in with a more open and transparent post-game system where decisions could perhaps be put up for appeal, or opposition players could be cited for foul play which was not seen by match officials on the day.

As is customary, clubs and players will be briefed by PGMO officials about these new dictates before the start of the new campaign.