FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina stated that the new anti-time-wasting rules at the World Cup have been a success. The rules include five-second limits for goal kicks and throw-ins, as well as a strict 10-second exit rule for substituted players.

Improved Pace of Play

Collina said that these measures have been very effective and have transformed the pace of play. Only one substituted player failed to meet the 10-second deadline across 72 group-stage games.

Players who are substituted have been seen running towards the touchline to leave the field as quickly as possible, even if their team was leading at the time. If the player being taken off does not leave the field of play within 10 seconds, the substitute may enter only at the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed following the restart.

Five-Second Rule

The five-second rule was breached 15 times in total — four times when goal kicks resulted in corners being awarded to opponents and 11 times for throw-ins where possession was reversed.

Collina added that the new rules, where injured players who require treatment must go off the pitch for one minute after the restart, resulted in fewer injuries. The number of players’ injuries has dramatically decreased, and there have been very few cases where the intervention of medical staff has been requested.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.