Keep your shirt on...and you can cut out the ear-cupping and line-sniffing, too
FIFA are to take a tougher line with goal celebrations from next season. They are set to agree new legislation next month that will mean a player must be booked if he climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal, removes his shirt over his head or covers his head with his shirt. Referees must also show the yellow card for gestures they consider provocative, derisory or inflammatory. This could extend to a player cupping his ear with his hand or even celebrating a goal in front of the opposing supporters.
• See our gallery of some of the celebrations that will fall foul
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• Sign up to our email sports round-up FIFA believe that, with emotions high after a goal has been scored, players have a duty not to do anything that could incite trouble.
Players must also wear plain undershirts and not ones with any manufacturers' logo or slogan. The proposal is that a player removing his jersey to reveal advertising or slogans - political, religious or personal - will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, for example the Premier League in Premiership matches.
This is likely to extend to after the final whistle when jerseys are exchanged. FIFA are particularly worried about secondary advertising by television cameras showing close-ups of players wearing an undergarment with a well-known brand logo.
World football's ruling body have also proposed the introduction of a fifth official who would officiate only if either of the two assistant referees is injured and unable to continue.
The "assistant assistant referee" would have no other duties and would be situated within the technical area close to the fourth official.
