EPL to punish divers

Players will face a two-match retrospective ban for diving from the start of next season after the English Football Association (FA) approved a new rule to combat simulation in an annual general meeting yesterday.

Under the new regulations, incidents involving players who deceive a match official into awarding their team a penalty or sending off an opponent can be reviewed by a three-man independent panel.

"This process would be similar to the one used now for a red card offence (violent conduct/serious foul play/spitting at an opponent) which was not seen at the time by the match officials but caught on camera," the FA said in a statement.

The FA will only be able to impose the ban if the panel's decision is unanimous. The panel will consist of one ex-match official, one ex-manager and one ex-player.

“Should a charge of 'Successful Deception of a Match Official' be admitted or found proven, the Independent Regulatory Commission will have the power to rescind the caution or dismissal received by the opposing player as a result of the simulation if it chooses to do so."