World Cup 2010: Fifa changes rules to prevent World Cup final bans
• Existing yellow cards wiped out after quarter-finals
• Move comes after Michael Ballack missed 2002 final
Players who receive two yellow cards in different matches will no longer be at risk of missing the World Cup final after Fifa announced it has changed its rules on player suspensions.
Paul Gascoigne famously cried after he was given a yellow card in the semi-final against Germany at Italia 90, a caution which meant he would have been banned from the final had England reached that stage.
Germany's Michael Ballack was forced to watch from the stands in 2002 after two yellow cards ensured he could take no part in his country's game against Brazil.
It was Ballack's exclusion from that match which prompted Fifa's rethink. Now players involved in the semi-finals will be at risk of suspension from the final only if they are sent off
"Fifa simply said we want to give the best players a chance to play in the final," said Marius Schneider, a Fifa spokesman. "The discussion first came up when Ballack was ruled out [of the 2002 final]."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/20/fifa-rules-world-cup-2010
