FIFA AMENDMENTS TO THE LAWS OF THE GAME   From  1st July 2007, the following amendments of the FIFA Game will come into force in India.        1. Law 1 – The Field of Play (Submitted by the Scottish Football Association)   Present law There shall be no advertising of any kind within the technical area or within one metre from the touch line and outside the field of play on the ground. Further, no advertising shall be allowed in the area between the goal line  and the goal nets   New Law There should be no advertising of any kind on the ground within the technical area or within one metre from the  touchline. Further, no advertising shall be allowed in the area between the goal line and the goal nets.     2. Law 4 – The Player’s Equipment (Submitted by the Scottish Football Association) Basic Equipment:   Present Law                                                   • A jersey or shirt .     • Shorts :If Thermal undershorts are worn, they are of the same main colours as the shorts.                                                    New Law • A jersey or shirt – if thermal undergarments are worn, the colour of the sleeve should be the same main colour as the sleeve of the jersey or shirt.         • Shorts : If  undershorts are worn, they are of the same main colours as the shorts.                                                                          Reason : Thermal undergarments are often a different colour from the registered kit colours of teams, a situation which can change the appearance of a jersey, when the undergarment is long-sleeved and the jersey short-sleeved.   3. THE PLAYER’S EQUIPMENT (Submitted by FIFA)   Decisions of the International FA Board Decision 1   Present Law                                                                               • Players must not reveal undershirts that contain slogans or advertising.   • A player removing his jersey to reveal slogans or advertising will be sanctioned by the competition organiser.   • Jerseys must have sleeves.      New Law   • Players must not reveal undershirts that contain slogans or advertising. The basic compulsory equipment must not contain any political, religious or personal statements.    • A player removing his jersey to reveal slogans or advertising will be sanctioned by the competition organiser. The team  of a player whose basic compulsory equipment contains political, religious or personal slogans or statements will be sanctioned by the competition organiser or by FIFA.   • Jerseys must have sleeves.   Reason : For FIFA to be able to take action in such cases, it would be necessary to amend the FIFA Disciplinary Code, i.e. art. 2 dealing with the ‘Scope of application’. For Information: FIFA Disciplinary CodeArt. 2 Scope of application: material lawThis code applies to every match and competition organised by FIFA. Beyond this scope, it also applies if a match official is harmed, if the basic compulsory equipment of a player contains political, religious or personal slogans, and, more generally, if the statutory objectives of FIFA are breached, especially with regard to forgery, corruption and doping.The IFAB supported the submission to its 121st Annual General Meeting of FIFA’s proposed revision to Law 4, which had been drafted in the light of various incidents in official matches around the world and would enable disciplinary bodies to take action in the event of infringement   The Fourth Official (Submitted by FIFA)   Present Law   The fourth official may be appointed under the competition rules and officiates  if of the 3 match officials is unable to continue.  He assists the referee at all time. New Law • The fourth official may be appointed under the competition rules and officiates  if of the 3 match officials is unable to continue,unless a reserve assistant referee is appointed. He assists the referee at all time.   • A reserve assistant referee may also be appointed under competition rules. His only duty shall be to replace an assistant referee who is unable to continue or to replace the fourth official, as required   ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR REFEREES, ASSISTANT REFEREES AND FOURTH OFFICIALS (Submitted by FIFA) Celebration of a goal Present Text A player must be cautioned when: • in the opinion of the referee, he makes gestures which are provocative, derisory or inflammatory • He climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal being scored • He removes his shirt over his head or covers his head with his shirt • Leaving the field to celebrate a goal is not a cautionable offence in itself but it is essential that players return to the field as soon as possible. .   Proposed Text A player must be cautioned when: • in the opinion of the referee, he makes gestures which are provocative, derisory or inflammatory • He climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal being scored • He removes his shirt over his head or covers his head with his shirt • He covers his face with a mask or other similar item to celebrate a goal • Leaving the field to celebrate a goal is not a cautionable offence in itself but it is essential that players return to the field as soon as possible.   Reason: This proposed amendment was motivated by the potentially increasingly common practice of players wearing masks during matches,  which could tarnish the image of the game. *** News and Pic collected from India representative Mr. Subrata Dutta (Vice-President AIFF)