Question Number: 22779

Other 1/30/2010

RE: competitive Under 13

Tyler of Erie, Pennsylvania U.S.A. asks...

What does the blue card in indoor soccer mean?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Tyler
In some small sided games at underage yellow cards are not used. Instead of issuing a yellow card the player is shown a blue card which means that the player must be removed for a period of two minutes which is akin to a 'sin bin'. It is a modification allowed in undergage games and does not apply to open age.
This is what the FA advises referees in this part of the world.
''In Small Sided Football yellow cards and associated cautions are no longer employed.
Referees should instead employ a blue card for a cautionable offence. The issuing of a blue card indicates that the recipient will serve an immediate 'timed suspension' ('sin bin')
The options for disciplining offenders are therefore as follows
1 Player shown a blue card and temporarily suspended from play
2 Player issued with a discretionary second blue card and temporarily excluded from play
3 Player issued with a red card and permanently excluded from play
A blue card offence should always be accompanied by a temporary suspension from play.
The period of timed suspension in Small Sided Football is a recommended two minutes. The release of players from a temporary suspension should be at the direction of the Referee or a Match Official if one is available.
The only exception to the use of the blue card and temporary suspensions is the situation whereby the suspension of a player cannot be monitored as the playing facility - such as an
enclosed sports hall or complex of playing cages -does not allow the suspended player to remain adjacent to the pitch and within the eye line of the Match Official . In such circumstances players should be cautioned with a yellow card and remain on the pitch unless
permanently excluded.''

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It means that a player must sit out and the team play short for two minutes or until the opponent's score a goal. The blue card is awarded against a specific player (persistent infringement, boarding, etc.) who must sit out. It also is awarded against a team when the team has committed more than a specified number of fouls in the half. Indoor rules are subject to many local variants.