Sin Bins set to be trialled in north east Wales grassroots football league
The North East Wales Reserve League is set to be among six grassroots football leagues in Wales trialling the use of Temporary Dismissals, also known as ‘Sin Bins’, in the upcoming season.
This innovative approach aims to decrease instances of dissent and misconduct directed towards match officials.
During the trial, a player displaying dissent will be shown a blue card and will need to leave the pitch for a ten-minute period. All other offences by on-field players will continue to attract the existing sanctions.
The decision was sanctioned by the FAW’s Community Game Board, following a consultative dialogue with representatives from the six Welsh Area Associations and discussions with the English Football Association.
The leagues chosen for the trial include Central Wales Football League, Gwent Premier League, North Wales Coast East Premier Division, North East Wales Reserve League, Highadmit Projects South Wales Alliance League, and Macron West Wales Premier League.
All parties involved in the trial, including Leagues, Clubs, Coaches, Players, and Referees, will undergo training on Temporary Dismissals prior to the kick-off of the 2023/2024 season.
FAW will monitor the impact of these Temporary Dismissals on instances of dissent and abuse towards match officials throughout the season.
The results will be pivotal in determining whether this policy should be rolled out across all grassroots football in Wales.
“Our mission is to make football the most inclusive, accessible and successful sport in all parts of Wales,” said Noel Mooney, CEO of the FAW.
“The Temporary Dismissals trial will help us achieve our aim by encouraging fair and respectful behaviour in grassroots football which will only increase participation and strengthen the game as a whole.”
Highlighting the potential benefits of the trial, Mark Adams, Chairman of the FAW Community Game Board said, “dissent and abuse towards match officials has been identified as a key reason for referees leaving the game.
A similar trial period in England saw a 38% reduction in cautions for dissent. We hope to increase the number of referees available to help develop grassroots football in Wales by reducing such instances.”
Adding his perspective, Lee Evans, FAW National Match Officials Manager, said that Temporary Dismissals would empower match officials and also benefit players by enabling them to avoid accumulating needless cautions and suspensions.
“Over the long-term, this initiative will encourage self-policing and foster a culture of respect on the pitch,” he added.
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