🧤 Less Time-Wasting, More Football: Rule Proposal Brings Fairness and Energy to Brazilian Soccer
📝 Rule Proposal to Combat “Time-Wasting” by Goalkeepers Requesting Medical Attention
⚖️ Context and Rationale: In professional football, time-wasting tactics—commonly known as “cera” in Portuguese—are frequently used, particularly (though not exclusively) when goalkeepers simulate injuries to delay the game. This practice undermines the game’s flow, harms the spectacle, and distorts the effective playing time.
🎯 Proposed Rule: Introduce a mandatory temporary substitution for goalkeepers who request medical assistance during a match.
📌 Details: Whenever a goalkeeper requests on-field medical attention, he will be temporarily replaced by the reserve goalkeeper, regardless of the apparent severity of the injury.
📢 The starting goalkeeper must remain off the field for 3 to 5 minutes of running time and can return only with medical and referee clearance.
📢 This substitution will be automatic and will not count as an official substitution, unless the starting goalkeeper cannot return.
📢 To prevent abuse, the CBF or federations may limit this occurrence to up to 2 times per team per match, except in cases of proven serious injury (verified by the fourth official or medical VAR, if available).
📢 The reserve goalkeeper will officially assume the position, with all technical and regulatory responsibilities, which also promotes sporting fairness and provides opportunities for backup goalkeepers to prove themselves.
📌 Expected Benefits
✅ Significant reduction in simulation-based time-wasting.
✅ Increased effective playing time.
✅ Real opportunities for reserve goalkeepers to participate.
✅ Reinforcement of sporting ethics and real physical preparedness.
📌 Implementation Suggestion
⚽ Pilot testing in youth tournaments, state championships, or regional cups under referee supervision and post-match review.
⚽ Future adoption by the IFAB (International Football Association Board), if successfully validated in Brazil.
⚽ Technical and medical analysis of incidents can be supported by medical VAR (already tested in some FIFA competitions).
