Professional foul
From ArticleWorld
In the sport of football a professional foul is awarded when a player deliberately prevents a goal scoring opportunity by committing a foul. In the modern era this type of foul is punishable with a red card and an instant dismissal from the match.
Definition
The football league in England first considered this new ruling after an infamous incident during the 1980 F.A Cup final. A clash involving Paul Allen of West Ham and the instigator Arsenals Willie Young caused uproar, when Young deliberately scythed down Allen whilst on a direct course to goal. Due to the laws of the game referee George Courtney could only award a free kick, which he duly did. People became outraged that such an action could occur without severe repercussions. Officials were already looking for ways to inject life into the sport with support dwindling throughout the country and a new rule punishing the so-called professional foul appeared ideal. The committee chaired by former player Jimmy Hill and including other notable personalities such as Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton submitted a report of suggestions to the governing body of football rules IFAB, but all were dismissed. Undeterred referees in Britain were instructed to treat such fouls as serious foul play, which was a recognised red card offence prior to the beginning of the 82/83 season. The first professional player to receive a red card in such a fashion was Lawrie Sanchez, the current manager of International side Northern Ireland.
International Introduction
FIFA would only introduce the professional foul as a punishable offence in 1990 prior to the World Cup being held in Italy that year. A year later IFAB announced that it too would allow the professional foul to be regarded as serious foul play, making the rule universal throughout football nations. The professional foul would not be recognised, as a foul in it’s own right until 1998 when it was introduced as a red card offence, without the provisions of it being serious foul play. The terminology was changed in the lettering of law 12, removing the phrase Professional foul replacing it with the more descriptive phrase of ‘denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.’ This means that players may be sent off for fouling in a goal scoring position even if it was not strictly intentional.