London, May 23 (IANS) England manager Fabio Capello received a set-back after FIFA prevented him from arranging a special session between his players and referee Howard Webb ahead of the World Cup.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the England manager wanted Webb to go through the new rules and regulations with his players at their training camp, but the world governing body’s rules prevented it.
England’s players will now be briefed by an official FIFA delegate who will give them a presentation on rule changes, the most high-profile of which is that players will now be cautioned for feinting in the run-up while taking a penalty.
FIFA has strict rules on officials, after its integrity unit identified referees as the ‘weak link’ in the defence against match-fixing. But there was no question about the integrity of Webb or the motivation of the England camp in trying to set up the meeting.
According to reports, referees will be kept in isolation during the competition and security guards will be posted outside referees’ hotels and no direct outside calls will be allowed to their rooms.
