English FA votes to introduce retrospective bans for diving, faking injuries

English soccer is introducing retrospective bans of at least two matches for players who deceive referees by diving to win a penalty or feign injury.

LONDON (AP) – English soccer is introducing retrospective bans of at least two matches for players who deceive referees by diving to win a penalty or feign injury to get an opponent sent off.

English Football Association officials voted on Thursday to introduce a new offense of ''successful deception of a match official'' from next season, emulating a law already applied in the Scottish game.

A panel featuring a former match official, ex-manager, and former player will review footage of incidents and have to unanimously agree to charge offenders. This process is similar to the one already used for red-card offenses which were missed at the time but caught on camera.

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The FA said this will be enforced ''where there is clear and overwhelming evidence to suggest a match official has been deceived by an act of simulation, and as a direct result, the offending player's team has been awarded a penalty and/or an opposing player has been dismissed.''