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Football Association encourages sin-bin trials in amateur game

The Football Association has encouraged England's lower-level leagues to trial sin bins from next season in the hope of cutting out dissent at the grassroots level.

It has written to organisers at County League level -- six tiers below the National League -- and below, in Saturday and Sunday football, where officials often experience the toughest times.

Those leagues will able to bring in a rule that allows temporary 10-minute dismissals for dissent, with the hope it will have an immediate impact on behaviour.

Players would avoid the usual £10 fine for such an offence under the scheme and clubs and leagues would also save time in administrative duties.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) -- the game's global rule-making body -- agreed to allow sin-bins at its meeting at Wembley in March.

Trials are expected to take place in a number of grassroots, youth, veterans and disability football leagues in both England and other countries over the coming years, after which IFAB will decide whether or not to introduce sin bins into professional football. They are backed by Marco van Basten, FIFA's chief officer for technical development.

The measure has been tested in UEFA development competitions, but will now be available more widely, including in youth and adult, male and female football in England.

David Elleray, IFAB's technical director, has long been an advocate of sin bins and the effect they have in rugby on behaviour toward referees has often been cited as a reason to try them in other team sports.