2006 FIFA World Cup disciplinary record

Sanctions against foul play at the 2006 FIFA World Cup are in the first instance the responsibility of the referee, but when he deems it necessary to give a caution, or dismiss a player, FIFA keeps a record and may enforce a suspension.cite web|url= http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/fifa_dc_en_34118.pdf|title=FIFA Disciplinary Code|format=PDF format|accessdate=2008-07-22|year=2007] Referee decisions are generally seen as final. However FIFA's Technical Study Group may additionally penalise players for offences unpunished by the referee.

Red cards

A player receiving a red card is automatically suspended for the next match. FIFA does not allow for appeals of red cards except in the case of mistaken identity. If a player is sent off during his team's final World Cup match, the suspension carries over to his team's next competitive international. For example, should a player from a European team be sent off during the Round of 16 match which his team goes on to lose, then he will miss his team's first Euro 2008 qualifying match.

During the match between Portugal and the Netherlands on June 25, four red cards and 16 yellow cards were produced. The number of reds set an all-time record for a World Cup match, and the number of yellows tied a record previously set in the Germany-Cameroon match in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4991538.stm "Portugal 1–0 Holland"] , "BBC", 25 June, 2006.]

Yellow cards

Any player receiving two cumulative yellow cards during the three group stage matches or during the knockout stage matches is suspended for the next match. A single yellow card does not carry over from the group stage to the knockout stages. Should the player pick up his second yellow during the team's final group match he will miss the Round of 16 if his team qualified for it. However, suspensions due to yellow cards do not carry beyond the World Cup finals.

Additional punishment

For serious transgressions, a longer suspension may be handed down at the discretion of a FIFA disciplinary committee. The disciplinary committee is also charged with reviewing any incidents that were missed by the officials and can award administrative red cards and suspensions accordingly. However, just as appeals of red cards are not considered, the disciplinary committee is also not allowed to review transgressions that were already punished by the referee with something less than a red card. For example, if a player is booked but not sent off for a dangerous tackle, the disciplinary committee cannot subsequently deem the challenge to be violent conduct and then upgrade the card to a red. However, if the same player then spits at the opponent but is still not sent off, then the referee's report would be unlikely to mention this automatic red card offence. Video evidence of the spitting incident could then be independently reviewed.

As a rule, only automatic red card offenses are considered for longer bans. A player who gets sent off for picking up two yellow cards in the same match will not have his automatic one-match ban extended by FIFA on account of what he did to get the second booking, because the referee has not deemed him to have committed an automatic red card offense.

If FIFA suspends a player after his team's elimination from the tournament, or for more games than the team ends up playing without him prior to the final and/or their elimination, then the remaining suspension must be served during the team's next competitive internationals. For a particularly grave offence (such as João Pinto's punching a referee in the 2002 FIFA World Cup), FIFA has the power to impose a lengthy ban against the offender.

Tables

Cautions and sendings off are as reported on the official FIFA website for the tournament. [ [http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/schedule.html FIFA World Cup - Tournament - Match Schedule] ]

Note: The "Suspensions" category refers to the match in which the player mentioned will serve his suspension.

By referee

Additional discipline

Notes and references