Serie B has announced that it will give referees a new green card to be used to help encourage sportsmanship on the pitch.
Introduced following a UEFA directive designed to promote fair play, the system has already be trialled in Italian youth football, and according to Italian newspaper La Stampa the new card will now be used as a type of 'credit' in the country's second tier.
It will be issued to players for such acts as putting the ball out of play when an opponent is injured, helping the referee to make a correct decision and even owning up to simulation.
Although there is no direct reward or benefit to receiving a green card, a record of those player who receive the most will be kept throughout the season.
The scheme will be introduced into other professional divisions if it proves to be successful in Serie B.
Written by
Tom Nightingale
Tom Nightingale
