A referee has shown the first ever green card in football history during a match at the CONIFA World Cup in London. The card, introduced as a disciplinary measure between the yellow and red cards, was issued by referee Raymond Mashamba twice in a match between Padania and Tuvalu.
CONIFA rules state that a player who receives a green card must leave the field immediately but can be replaced if his team has not used all substitutes. Unlike a red card, receiving a green card does not exclude a player from the next match.
Tournament organiser Paul Watson explained the motivation: 'We'd really like to clamp down on the dissent problem. Football has a problem with the lack of respect for referees.' He added that the green card offers a way to sanction players who 'lose their cool' without costing them their place in the tournament.
CONIFA's Asia President Jens Jockel also supported the initiative, noting it is a 'perfect way to find something in between' for offences such as swearing or disrespecting spectators and coaches, which may not warrant a red card.
The green card concept is not entirely new; it was trialled in Italian Serie B three years ago, but there it was used to reward fair play rather than punish dissent. Players who received it were noted on a list of the 'most correct' players at the end of the season.
