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Penalty card



 
 
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offence. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while looking or pointing towards the player that has committed the offence. The colour and/or shape of the card used by the referee indicates the type or seriousness of the offence and the level of punishment that is to be applied.

idea of using language-neutral coloured cards to communicate a referee's intentions originated with British football
Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world....
 referee Ken Aston
Ken Aston

Kenneth George "Ken" Aston, Order of the British Empire, was an England teacher, soldier, and Referee , who was responsible for many important developments in football refereeing....
.






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A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offence. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while looking or pointing towards the player that has committed the offence. The colour and/or shape of the card used by the referee indicates the type or seriousness of the offence and the level of punishment that is to be applied.

History and origin

The idea of using language-neutral coloured cards to communicate a referee's intentions originated with British football
Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world....
 referee Ken Aston
Ken Aston

Kenneth George "Ken" Aston, Order of the British Empire, was an England teacher, soldier, and Referee , who was responsible for many important developments in football refereeing....
. Aston had been appointed to the FIFA
FIFA

The F?d?ration Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by its acronym, FIFA , is the international sport governing body of association football....
 Referees' Committee and was responsible for all referees at the 1966 FIFA World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup

The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England was chosen as FIFA World Cup hosts#1966 FIFA World Cup by FIFA in August 1960 to celebrate the centenary of the The Football Association in England....
. In the quarter finals, England
1966 FIFA World Cup squads

Below are the squads for the 1966 FIFA World Cup tournament in England....
 met Argentina
1966 FIFA World Cup squads

Below are the squads for the 1966 FIFA World Cup tournament in England....
 at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium

The original Wembley Stadium was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007....
. After the match, newspaper reports stated that referee Rudolf Kreitlein
Rudolf Kreitlein

Rudolf Kreitlein was a German international football referee and tailor in the 1950s and 1960s....
 had cautioned both Bobby
Bobby Charlton

Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton Order of the British Empire is a former England professional association football player who won the FIFA World Cup and was named the European Footballer of the Year in 1966....
 and Jack Charlton
Jack Charlton

John "Jack" Charlton, Order of the British Empire, Deputy Lieutenant is a former footballer and Coach who played for Leeds United F.C. in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and who was part of the England national football team who won the 1966 FIFA World Cup....
. The referee had not made his decision clear during the game, and England manager Alf Ramsey
Alf Ramsey

Sir Alfred Ernest 'Alf' Ramsey was a footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974. His greatest achievement was winning the Football World Cup 1966 with England on 30 July 1966....
 approached FIFA for post-match clarification. This incident started Aston thinking about ways to make a referee's decisions clearer to both players and spectators. Aston realised that a colour coding scheme based on the same principle as used on traffic lights (yellow - caution, red - stop) would traverse language barriers and clarify whether a player had been cautioned or expelled. As a result, yellow cards to indicate a caution and red cards to indicate an expulsion were used for the first time in the 1970 FIFA World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup

The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. Mexico was chosen as FIFA World Cup hosts#1970 FIFA World Cup by FIFA in October 1964....
 in Mexico. The use of penalty cards has since been adopted and expanded by several sporting codes, with each sport adapting the idea to its specific set of rules or laws.

Commonly used penalty cards


Yellow card

Yellow Card
A yellow card is used in many different sporting codes. Its meaning differs among sports, however it most commonly indicates a caution given to a player regarding his or her conduct, or indicates a temporary suspension. Examples include:

  • Association football
    Football (soccer)

    Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world....
     (soccer): A yellow card is shown by the referee
    Referee (football)

    A referee presides over a game of association football. The referee has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" , and the referee's decisions regarding facts connected with play are final, so far as the result of the game is concerned....
     to indicate that a player has been officially cautioned. The player's details are then recorded by the referee in a small notebook; hence a caution is also known as a "booking". A player who has been cautioned may continue playing in the game, however a player who receives a second caution in a match is sent off (shown the yellow card again, and then a red card (see below)), meaning that he or she must leave the field immediately and take no further part in the game. The player may not be replaced by a substitute. Law 12 of the Laws of the Game
    Laws of the Game

    The Laws of the Game are the rules governing a game of association football. They are written and maintained by the International Football Association Board ....
     (which are set by the International Football Association Board
    International Football Association Board

    The International Football Association Board is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of football ....
     and used by FIFA
    FIFA

    The F?d?ration Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by its acronym, FIFA , is the international sport governing body of association football....
    ) lists the types of offences and misconduct
    Misconduct (football)

    Misconduct in Association football is any conduct by a player which is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game....
     that may result in a caution. Broadly these are:


  1. Unsporting behaviour
  2. Dissent by word or action
  3. Persistently infringing the laws of the game
  4. Delaying the restart of play
  5. Failing to respect the required distance of a corner kick or free kick
  6. Entering or re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission
  7. Deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission


  • Australian rules football
    Australian rules football

    Australian football, or simply known as football, footy, Aussie rules or as AFL, is a team sport played between two teams of 18 players with a football in the shape of a prolate spheroid....
    : A player committing a reportable offence may be shown a yellow card and temporarily suspended from the game. Unless otherwise determined by the controlling body, the player may not be replaced during the period of suspension. The use of yellow cards and the period of suspension is determined by the controlling body.


  • Bandy
    Bandy

    Bandy is a winter sport where a ball is hit with a stick. It shares a common ancestry with ice hockey having been developed from the informal "ball and stick on ice" games known collectively as shinny....
    : A yellow card indicates a warning given to an entire team for technical fouls such as errors in the execution of goal-throws or free strokes, or the obstruction of a player without ball. Subsequent technical fouls by the same team result in a five minute penalty indicated by a white card
    Penalty card

    A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offence....
    .


  • Canoe polo
    Canoe polo

    Canoe polo is a competitive ball sport played on water, in a defined "field", between two teams of 5 players, each in a kayak. The object of the game is to get the ball into the opponent's goal , the team scoring the most goals in a set time being the winner....
    : A yellow card indicates a player has received two minute temporary suspension. A yellow card can be awarded for a deliberate and/or dangerous foul that prevents the scoring of a near certain goal, dangerous illegal play that is deliberate or repeated, foul or abusive language, continuously disputing a referee's decisions or receiving a third green card for any reason.


  • Equestrian sports: Yellow cards may be issued during FEI
    International Federation for Equestrian Sports

    The F?d?ration ?questre Internationale or in English, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, is the international governing body of equestrian sports....
     sanctioned events for abuse of a horse or incorrect behavior towards an official. Abuse of the horse may include riding an obviously lame horse, riding an exhausted horse, excessive use of whip
    Whip

    The word whip describes two basic types of tools:A long stick-like device, usually slightly flexible, with a small bit of leather or cord, called a "popper", on the end....
     and/or spurs
    Spur

    A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse to move forward or laterally while equestrianism....
    , and dangerous riding. Riders may choose to not accept issued cards, but doing so may lead to a disciplinary hearing. A rider receiving a yellow card can be disqualified from the event and subsequently fined or suspended.


  • Fencing: A yellow card indicates a warning to a fencer and is valid for the remainder of the bout. In some cases, an annulment of any hit scored by the fencer at fault may also occur. Yellow cards are awarded for Group 1 offences such as making bodily contact with the opposing fencer (in foil
    Foil (fencing)

    A foil is a type of weapon used in Fencing . It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general....
     or sabre
    Sabre (fencing)

    The sabre is one of the three weapons of modern sport fencing, and is alternatively spelled saber in American English language. The sabre differs from the other modern fencing weapons, the ?p?e and Foil , in that it is possible to score with the edge of the blade; for this reason, sabreur movements and attacks are very fast....
    ), leaving the piste without permission, or refusing to obey the referee. A yellow card can also be awarded when, at the first call by the referee, a fencer does not present himself on the piste ready to fence. Any person not on the piste who disturbs the good order of the competition may also receive a yellow card on the first infringement.


  • Field hockey
    Field hockey

    Field hockey is a team sport in which a team of players attempt to score Goal by hitting, pushing or flicking the ball with hockey sticks into the opposing team's goal....
    : A yellow card indicates a temporary suspension. The length of the suspension is determined by the umpire, but in accordance with International Hockey Federation
    International Hockey Federation

    The International Hockey Federation is the global governing body for the sport of field hockey, which is known simply as hockey in many countries....
     rules is a minimum of 5 minutes playing time. It is possible for a player to receive two yellow cards for different offences during the same match, however the period of suspension must be significantly longer with each yellow card. When an offence for which a yellow card has been awarded is repeated, the yellow card must not be used again and a more severe penalty must be awarded. There must also be a clear difference between the duration of a yellow card suspension for a minor offence and the duration for a major offence. The yellow card can be shown to a specific player or to the captain for misconduct by the entire team. In this case, the captain is temporarily suspended.


  • Handball
    Team handball

    Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass and bounce a ball to throw it into the goal of the opposing team. The team with the most goals after two periods of 30 minutes wins....
    : A yellow card indicates a warning and can be given to a player or team official for unsportsmanlike conduct, or to a player whose actions are mainly or exclusively directed at the opponent and not at the ball. IHF
    International Handball Federation

    The International Handball Federation, often referred to by the acronym IHF, is the administrative and controlling body for International team handball....
     rules also allow referees to use discretion to award a yellow card outside of these situations.


  • Mixed Martial Arts
    Mixed martial arts

    Mixed martial arts is a Contact sport combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques, from a mixture of martial arts traditions and non-traditions, to be used in competitions....
     promotions PRIDE
    Pride

    Pride is, depending upon context, either a high sense of the worth of one's self and one's own, or a pleasure taken in the contemplation of these things....
    (defunct), DEEP
    Deep

    Deep or The Deep may refer to:In film and television:* The Deep , a 1970 unfinished film directed by Orson Welles* The Deep , a 1977 film based on Benchley's novel, directed by Peter Yates...
    , and ZST
    ZST

    ZST is a Japan-based mixed martial arts organization. ZST rules are unique in the MMA world. Much like RINGS, strikes to head on the ground are prohibited....
    : A warning, the third leads to disqualification.


  • Rugby league
    Rugby league

    Rugby league football is a competitive Full-contact sport team sport played with a spheroid-shaped ball by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field....
    : Yellow cards are not usually used in rugby league in the southern hemisphere with referees indicating a 10 minute suspension by raising both arms straight out with fingers spread (to indicate 10 minutes).


  • Rugby union
    Rugby union

    Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
    : According to the laws of the game published by the International Rugby Board
    International Rugby Board

    The International Rugby Board is the world governing and law-making body for the sport of rugby union, and previously for rugby football. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scottish Rugby Union, Welsh Rugby Union and Irish Rugby Football Union....
     (IRB), during international matches, any player who commits an offence under Law 10 - Foul Play may be shown a yellow card and suspended from the game for 10 minutes. Offences include obstruction, unfair play, repeated infringements, dangerous play and misconduct which is prejudicial to the game. Receiving a yellow card is known colloquially as being sent to the "sin bin". A player receiving a second yellow card in a game will also be shown a red card (see below) meaning that he or she has been sent-off
    Ejection (sports)

    In sports, an ejection is a disqualifying action assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct.Many ejections occur for such actions as fighting or persistent arguing with a game official....
     and will be unable to take part in the remainder of the match.


  • Volleyball
    Volleyball

    Volleyball is an Olympic Games team sport in which two teams of 6 active players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules....
    : A yellow card can be used in diffent ways to indicate several penalties. A player or team staff member can be shown a yellow card for the first instance of rude conduct and the referee may also penalise a team for delaying the game by pointing to the wrist using a yellow card. Both offences result in a loss of rally. A yellow card can also be used together with a red card to indicate a participant has been disqualified and can take no further part in the match. In the NCAA, red and yellow cards in the same hand indicate that the player must sit out the rest of that game, while red and yellow cards held apart indicate that the participant is disqualified and must leave the playing and spectator areas.


  • Water polo
    Water polo

    Water polo is a team water sport. It is the oldest continuous Olympic team sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper with a maximum of six substitutes....
    : Given to entire bench as warning for disrespectful conduct from the coach, individual players, or the entire bench. Following the issuance of a yellow card, further incidents will result in a red card and the expulsion of individual players and coaches


Red card

Red Card
A red card is used in several different sporting codes. Its meaning differs among sports, however it most commonly indicates a serious offence and often results in a player being permanently suspended from the game (also known as being "sent off", "ejected
Ejection (sports)

In sports, an ejection is a disqualifying action assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct.Many ejections occur for such actions as fighting or persistent arguing with a game official....
" or "expelled" from the game). Examples include:

  • Association football
    Football (soccer)

    Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world....
     (soccer): A red card is shown by a referee
    Referee (football)

    A referee presides over a game of association football. The referee has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" , and the referee's decisions regarding facts connected with play are final, so far as the result of the game is concerned....
     to signify that a player has been sent off. A player who has been sent off is required to leave the field of play immediately and must take no further part in the game. The player who has been sent off cannot be replaced during the game; their team must continue the game with one player fewer. Law 12 of the Laws of the Game
    Laws of the Game

    The Laws of the Game are the rules governing a game of association football. They are written and maintained by the International Football Association Board ....
     lists the categories of misconduct for which a player may be sent off. These are:


  1. Serious foul play. This includes a tackle
    Sliding tackle

    A sliding tackle or slide tackle is a skill in football in which a player attempts to take the ball away from an opposing player by deliberately leaving their feet and sliding along the ground with one leg extended to push the ball away from the opposing player....
     that endangers the safety of an opponent
  2. Violent conduct
  3. Spitting at anyone
  4. A deliberate handling offense to deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by any player other than a goalkeeper
    Goalkeeper

    In many team sports, a goalkeeper is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal ....
     in his own penalty area
  5. Committing an offence that denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (informally known as a professional foul
    Professional foul

    In sports, a professional foul is a deliberate act of Foul , usually to prevent an opponent scoring....
    )
  6. Using offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures
  7. Receiving a second caution (yellow card) in one game


  • Australian rules football
    Australian rules football

    Australian football, or simply known as football, footy, Aussie rules or as AFL, is a team sport played between two teams of 18 players with a football in the shape of a prolate spheroid....
    : A player committing a reportable offence such as using obscene language towards an umpire or intentionally kicking another person may be shown a red card and permanently suspended from the game. Unless otherwise determined by the controlling body, the suspended player may not be replaced. The use of red cards is determined by the controlling body.


  • Bandy
    Bandy

    Bandy is a winter sport where a ball is hit with a stick. It shares a common ancestry with ice hockey having been developed from the informal "ball and stick on ice" games known collectively as shinny....
    : A red card indicates a player has been excluded for the remainder of the match and cannot be substituted. Red card offences include directly attacking an opponent or using abusive language. A coach or substitute may also be penalised with a red card. In this situation, a player currently on the rink also serves a ten minute penalty, resulting in the number of players being reduced by one.


  • Canoe polo
    Canoe polo

    Canoe polo is a competitive ball sport played on water, in a defined "field", between two teams of 5 players, each in a kayak. The object of the game is to get the ball into the opponent's goal , the team scoring the most goals in a set time being the winner....
    : A red card indicates a player has been sent off for the remainder of the match can cannot be substituted. A red card can be awarded if a personal attack on a player occurs, repeated foul or abusive language, or when the award of a yellow card is disputed or has not had the desired effect of causing the player to control their play or attitude. A red card is also awarded when a player has received a second yellow card for any reason.


  • Fencing
    Fencing

    Fencing is a family of sports and activities that feature armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or slapping Club ing weapons that are directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot, thrown or positioned....
    : A red card is used to indicate that a fencer has committed an offence that warrants a penalty hit to be awarded to the opponent. Second and subsequent Group 1 offences, all Group 2 offences and first Group 3 offences are penalised with a red card. A red card may also be awarded when, at the second call by the referee, a fencer does not present himself on the piste ready to fence.


  • Field hockey
    Field hockey

    Field hockey is a team sport in which a team of players attempt to score Goal by hitting, pushing or flicking the ball with hockey sticks into the opposing team's goal....
    : A red card results in a player being permanently suspended from the game. The player cannot take any further part in the game and cannot be substituted. Unlike other penalty cards in Field hockey, the red card is never given to the captain for team misconduct. In addition to their colour, red cards in field hockey are often circular in shape.


  • Handball
    Team handball

    Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass and bounce a ball to throw it into the goal of the opposing team. The team with the most goals after two periods of 30 minutes wins....
    : A red card indicates a disqualification of a player who has committed an offence such unsportsmanlike conduct, serious foul play or receiving a third two minute suspension. A red card prevents a player from playing in the remainder of the match and as a result reduces the number of players that are available to a team. A red card also carries a two minute suspension for the team, meaning that a team cannot replace the disqualified player until the two minute team suspension has expired.


  • Mixed martial arts promotion PRIDE: A red card is issued as punishment and results in a 10% deduction of the guilty fighter's fight purse (only used when fights are conducted under PRIDE's Bushido rules).


  • Rugby union
    Rugby union

    Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
    : A red card is used indicate that a player has been sent off and can take no further part in the game. During international matches, any player who commits an offence under Law 10 - Foul Play may be shown a red card. Red cards are normally issued for serious offences. Any player receiving a second yellow card in a game will automatically be shown a red card.


  • Volleyball
    Volleyball

    Volleyball is an Olympic Games team sport in which two teams of 6 active players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules....
    : A red card is used to indicate the explusion of a player or team official and can be issued by the referee for the second instance of rude conduct or the first instance of offensive conduct. Expelled players must leave the playing area and remain in the penalty area for the remainder of the set. If an expelled player cannot be legally substituted, their team loses the set. A red card shown together with a yellow card indicates a participant has been disqualified and can take no further part in the match. In the NCAA, red and yellow cards in the same hand indicate that the player must sit out the rest of that game, while red and yellow cards held apart indicate that the participant is disqualified and must leave the playing and spectator areas.


  • Water polo
    Water polo

    Water polo is a team water sport. It is the oldest continuous Olympic team sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper with a maximum of six substitutes....
    : A red card is issued to a coach and/or player(s) on the bench for a second incident of misconduct after receiving a yellow card, or immediately in cases of severe misconduct (i.e. verbal abuse of referee or desk official).


Other types of penalty cards


Green card

A green card is used in some sports to indicate an official warning to a player who has committed a minor offence that does not warrant a more serious sanction.

  • Canoe polo
    Canoe polo

    Canoe polo is a competitive ball sport played on water, in a defined "field", between two teams of 5 players, each in a kayak. The object of the game is to get the ball into the opponent's goal , the team scoring the most goals in a set time being the winner....
    : A green card indicates a official warning that can be applied to an individual player or a whole team. A green card can be awarded for deliberate unsporting behavior or unnecessary verbal communication to the referee.


  • Field hockey
    Field hockey

    Field hockey is a team sport in which a team of players attempt to score Goal by hitting, pushing or flicking the ball with hockey sticks into the opposing team's goal....
    : A green card indicates an official warning when a minor offence has occurred. A second green card for the same player will result in a yellow card (5 minute suspension). In this case, the referee will show a green card, followed by a yellow card. When an offence for which a green card has been awarded is repeated, a yellow card should be awarded. A green card can be given to a specific player or to the captain as a warning to the entire team. Cards shown to the captain as a warning to the team are treated separate from cards shown to the captain as a player. In addition to their colour, green cards in field hockey are often triangular in shape.


White card

A white card is used in bandy
Bandy

Bandy is a winter sport where a ball is hit with a stick. It shares a common ancestry with ice hockey having been developed from the informal "ball and stick on ice" games known collectively as shinny....
 to indicate a five minute timed penalty given to a player. The offending player must leave the playing area and wait on a penalty bench near the centre line until the penalty has expired. During the 5 minute period the player may not be replaced, although he or she may be replaced with a different player when the penalty has expired. Offences that can warrant a white card include trying to hinder the opponents from executing a free-stroke, illegal substitution or repeated illegal but non-violent attacks on an opponent.

Blue card

A blue card is used in bandy
Bandy

Bandy is a winter sport where a ball is hit with a stick. It shares a common ancestry with ice hockey having been developed from the informal "ball and stick on ice" games known collectively as shinny....
 to indicate a ten minute timed penalty given to a player. The offending player must leave the playing area and wait on a penalty bench near the centre line until the penalty has expired. During the 10 minute period the player may not be replaced, although he or she may be replaced with a different player when the penalty has expired. A blue card is typically shown for offences that are more serious than those warranting a white card including attacking an opponent in a violent or dangerous way, causing advantage by intentionally stopping the ball with a high stick or protesting a referee's decision.

Black card

A black card is used in fencing
Fencing

Fencing is a family of sports and activities that feature armed combat involving cutting, stabbing, or slapping Club ing weapons that are directly manipulated by hand, rather than shot, thrown or positioned....
 and is issued by the director
Tournament director

Tournament directors typically perform a number of key functions at sporting events of all kinds, including martial arts tournaments, major field sport tournaments, contract bridge tournaments, and chess tournaments....
 for severe rule infractions. A second instance of a Group 3 offence, and all Group 4 offences including deliberate brutality, refusal to fence or refusal to salute can be punished with a black card. When the black card is issued, the offending fencer is excluded from the remainder of the competition and may be suspended from further tournaments. In the official record of the tournament, his or her name is replaced with the words "FENCER EXCLUDED".