PARIS: The Euro 2016 finals will see the latest rewriting of laws of the game being put into effect – as well as the use of both goal-line technology in tandem with UEFA’s specialised goal-line assistants.

A redrafting of the laws had long been a project for the International Football Association Board and have been tightened up and clarified by a technical sub-committee team led by England’s former FIFA referee David Elleray.

The aim was to refine some of the laws as well as improve structure and phraseology which was of particular importance now that the ‘guidebook to the game’ has to be translated worldwide.

The changes include:

1, the ball can be moved in any direction from the kick-off rather than only moving forward; and a

2, a player injured by a challenge punished by a yellow/red card can now have a quick assessment/treatment on the pitch, rather than having to leave the field (which previously gave the offending team a numerical advantage).

Elleray is pleased to see the changes benefiting immediately from such a high-profile outing.

He said: “The use of the revised new laws of the game for Euro is fantastic from an IFAB point of view because this will showcase and help educate the world on what the changes are and to help educate referees throughout the world.

“So, in a way, UEFA is doing a great job helping the rest of the world understand the law changes.”

Euro 2016 will also see the start of a two-year trial of the amended so-called ‘triple punishment’ rule, which previously involved dismissal, a penalty and a suspension for the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity within the penalty area.

Under the revision, referees will give a yellow card, and not a red card, if a goalkeeper or defender in the penalty area genuinely and honestly tries to challenge for the ball and commits a foul.

UEFA chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina said: “UEFA has been trying to change this rule for many years . . .  the change restores fairness as the punishment of penalty, red card and suspension was too harsh when there was a genuine attempt to win the ball.

“The penalty kick sees the goal-scoring opportunity restored. It is too much when a player tries to do his job but arrives just a bit late.”

This is also the first time that goal-line technology will be used for a full UEFA tournament.

Collina did not consider the use of GLT and assistant additional referees are being over the top.

He said: “The main task of the AARs is not to control the goal line and decide whether a ball has crossed it; rather, they are responsible for monitoring everything that is happening in the penalty area overall, aiding the main referee in making important decisions in the box.

“Now, with GLT focused on the goal-line, the additional assistants can focus exclusively on the control of other incidents in the penalty area – the most crucial area of the pitch.”

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