FA launches new code of conduct for England players to clip down misdemeanors

London: The Football Association (FA) will launch a new code of conduct for England players, which could also lead to suspensions in case of serious offences, and this step by the governing body is seen as an attempt to clip down growing number of players’ misdemeanors.

Roy Hodgson’s players were given a PowerPoint presentation about the code by Adrian Bevington, the managing director of Club England, at their new St George’s Park base, which explained that warnings remain a likely restraint but that suspensions were an option. The FA aims to have its own version of code for players, signed by the squad before next month’s friendly with Sweden in Stockholm. The FA Board and all the England coaches, including Roy Hodgson and Hope Powell, have approved it. “The England players are representing their country, they’re role models, their behavior is incredibly important in respect of everything else we’re trying to do,” the Telegraph quoted FA chairman David Bernstein, as saying. “I feel very strongly about that. It should really have been brought in years and years ago. Clearly in the past we’ve been hampered by not having a code and some things have been less clear than they might have been,” he added. The code has been mooted for some time, and it has three sections: first, general conduct, whether with England or not; second, conduct when the player is with England; third, how the FA will manage the pro­cess of breach or alleged breach. Bevington said: “If someone transgresses in a way that brings the integrity of the team or themselves or the organization into question, we have the ability to warn them, or if we deem it appropriate, under significant circumstances, to suspend them from England.” ANI