FIFA launches an unprecedented rule in Doha to prevent simulations during the Arab Cup
Fabricio Bomjardim/TheNews2/Estadão Conteúdo Savarino, a Botafogo player, is treated after being injured during the game against Corinthians, in Itaquera
The days of wax, the pretense of serious injury, and worthy interpretations are numbered. At the Arab Cup, which takes place in the first half of December in Doha, the team will test a revolutionary rule called “anti-simulation” or, more precisely, the Two-Minute Rule for Injuries. The message is simple and direct, according to Pierluigi Collina, head of arbitration at FIFA:
Whenever the medical team enters the field to treat a player, that player will have to leave and will only be able to return after two scheduled minutes.
The trigger is the doctor’s entry, not the athlete’s theatrical fall.
It works like a forced technical timeout.
Important exceptions:
Goalkeepers are not included in the rule.
If the referee applies a yellow or red card for the play, there is also no punishment.
Actual serious injuries (e.g., concussion) will receive medical priority without penalty — player safety comes first.
If the test at the Arab Cup is successful, this rule could become global law. Finally a practical measure against clowning. I hope it sticks.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
