FA to punish players who dive with two-match bans

The English Football Association on Thursday, passed a new rule which will retrospectively punish players, who are found guilty of simulation starting from the 2017/2018 season.

A panel which includes one ex-match official, one former manager and one ex-player, will review footage from the weekend each Monday, to spot cases of simulation.

Any player found guilty will be handed a two-game ban.

“Players will be punished where the there is clear and overwhelming evidence to suggest a match official has been deceived by an act of simulation, and as a direct result, the offending player’s team has been awarded a penalty and/or an opposing player has been dismissed,” the FA said in a statement.

“If found guilty the player would receive a two-game ban.”

The governing body received the backing of the Premier League, the English Football League and the Professional Footballers’ Association to introduce the rule change.