When Wayne Rooney was captured by live television cussing out a referee with more than 20 profanities in less than a minute last season, British educators advocated a ban of Premier League soccer from day time television. That, of course, did not come to pass, but the English soccer has promised a crackdown on swearing and aggressive behavior toward referees.
Referees have been instructed to red-card players who provoke a direct confrontation with a ref using insulting or abusive language. In other words, they're being told to apply the rules, because Rule 12 states that using "offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures" is a sending-off offense.
The FA has also promised to fully support referees who show multiple cards when mass confrontations take place.
English referee boss Keith Hackett says refs should respond to "a frustrated outburst" with a "firm word" and "a sustained, pre-meditated verbal assault" with an immediate red card. …
… Celebrity referee Pierluigi Collina, who refereed the 2002 World Cup final and is considered the world's best, will be allowed to whistle for another year after the Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) tweaked the rule that forced retirement on refs at age 45. The new rule allows refs to continue until the end of the calendar year in which they turn 45 and complete the season rather than retire at the end of the season in which they turn 45.
Although Collina will now be able to ref Serie A games through the 2005-06 season, he remains ineligible for the 2006 World Cup under current FIFA regulations.