THERE are so many things happening to the Laws of the Game this season, it is hard to keep up with them.

Some are changes to the laws, some are trials, some are modifications for certain levels of the game, some are ways of applying the laws and others catching culprits retrospectively.

Falling into the latter category is the FA’s new panel, which will review instances where players have thought to have dived or feigned injury and have been successful in deceiving the referee.

It is not a new idea, as the FA lags behind other countries such as Scotland and North America.

Players punished by the referee only get a yellow card, but those found guilty by the panel will have a two-match ban. The idea is to deter players from such behaviour rather than punish.

When there is a dispute, a panel of three will view the incident and come up with their verdict.

Each panel will comprise of an ex-player, an ex-referee and a former manager.

Amongst the ex-players from which the panels will be chosen are a number who have become regular television pundits.

These include Danny Murphy, Trevor Sinclair, and Lee Dixon.

From the refereeing world are old stalwarts like Alan Wiley, Steve Dunn and Mike Malarkey.

Among the ex-managers is former Reading boss, Nigel Adkins.

Reading Chronicle:

Ex-Royals manager Nigel Adkins.

Many people think players whose dive is ignored by the referee, in other words, no foul given but also no yellow card shown, would also come under the panel’s jurisdiction. But it seems this is not the case.

It is only those situations where the referee has been deceived and given a free-kick and perhaps taken further action against an opponent that would be referred. In other words, when the player has profited by his deceit.

I’m pleased to see the FA panels will also be looking at feigning injury, easier in many cases to spot on replays and more serious in my opinion as in almost every case, the intention is to get an opponent sent off.