The Premier League is now reportedly set for a major rule change inspired by the sport of rugby after it was agreed it would be introduced in England's top flight.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has announced that various trials were approved to improve participant behaviour in football after a meeting in London on Tuesday.
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As football battles to save referees from being abused by those off the pitch as well as on it, it has been agreed that sin-bins, or temporary dismissals, for dissent and specific tactical offences will be trialled at higher levels of English football after its "successful implementation" at grassroot levels in the country.
The IFAB confirmed that a system to trial the rule will be introduced, with it believed that the Premier League could be set to introduce it as early as next season.
It is said this would be evident by an "orange card" being produced, although it is understood that it will never be waved by a referee, and only be displayed on a fourth official's electronic board when the temporary dismissal occurs.
Other rule trials that were proposed included one stating that only captains be allowed to approach referees in certain major game situations, another suggesting that referees wear body cams to reduce the amount of misconduct they face, as well as the further development of semi-automated offside technology that would help match officials speed up that decision-making process.
The current handball rules could also face significant change that would see only deliberate handballs directly preventing a goal being deemed worthy of a sending-off.
Football Association chief executive and IFAB director Mark Bullingham said that the organisation is also looking at implementing rules in other aspects of the game.
"The areas we were looking at were dissent, where it's worked very, very well in the grassroots game in England," he said, per the Telegraph.
"We've also spoken about other areas, particularly tactical fouls. I think frustration for fans when they're watching games when they see a promising counter-attack that's ruined by that – and the question of whether a yellow card is sufficient for that – has led to us looking at whether that should be involved in the protocol as well.
"Some players do commit a foul – I know people call it a tactical foul, cynical foul, professional foul, but a foul that prevents a promising attack – and they do it consciously, knowing they're going to get a yellow card, and we think that really breaks up the game. So, would they not do it if they felt there was going to be a sin-bin?
"I think with all of these things, success of sin-bins in grass roots game has been prevention, rather than cure. You get to a point where players know the threat of sin-bins and, therefore, don't transgress. And we would hope that it would make the same change."
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