'I’m relieved Fifa changed their minds' - Cape Town City's Comitis backs decision on spitting

Cape Town City chairman John Comitis has backed Fifa's decision on 'impractical' spitting.

Fifa's medical committee chairman, Michel D’Hooghe announced that spitting must be banned during matches and punished by a yellow card a month ago.

However, the football world governing body has done an about-turn on the matter because it is almost impossible for match officials to keep guard over it.

This week, Fifa said in a directive that it was “impractical” to make spitting a yellow-card offence.

A statement from Fifa read: “Spitting at someone” is a sending-off [red-card] offence under the laws of the game.

“However, where spitting does not fall into this category, it would be impractical to make it a yellow-card [YC] offence because it is impossible for the match officials to detect every incident, as spitting can occur anywhere on the pitch, at any time and often away from play [eg as players move to take up a position before the next sequence of play].

“Consequently, treating ‘general’ spitting and other such actions as a YC offence during matches would lead to inconsistency and unfairness."

Comitis has welcomed the decision, with the current PSL season having been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic since mid-March 2020.

“I’m relieved that Fifa has changed their minds because ultimately spitting is something that is not policeable,” said Comitis on IOL.

“As a former player myself, I know spitting is not always deliberate but when you’re in action it can be reactionary rather than a conscious reaction. I’m glad it has come to this because it could have opened one controversy after another."

The former Ajax Cape Town chief executive officer urged Fifa to consider increasing the number of players in match-days with clubs currently allowed to name 18 players ahead of matches.

“Apart from this, I would also urge Fifa to look into the matter of increasing the size of match-day squads," he continued. 

“When play is ultimately resumed everyone in football will be emerging from lockdown because of Covid-19 and there could be suspect fitness levels.

"In such cases, players’ health could be at risk and it would help if enough provision is made for substitutions.”