The Worst Rule Changes In Sport

The Worst Rule Changes In Sport

Sporting leagues will always implement rule changes in the spirt of parity, fair play and making the product more entertaining for viewers.

Maybe a certain tactic will be outlawed, or perhaps a loophole will be closed to ensure the contest will be decided fairly.

It does not appear as though Serie A had any of those principles in mind when they made the mind boggling decision to ban green playing kits, starting in the 2022/2023 season.

The official explanation is that broadcasters have claimed green jerseys clash with the grass on the pitch making it tough for viewers.

Naturally football fans have treated that explanation with scepticism.

Scottish club Hibernian had easily the best response to that ban.

It will certainly go down as one of the most outrageous rule changes in all of sport like some of these mind-boggling decisions.

Football – VAR

Brought into the world game to make referee’s lives easier, VAR has been an unmitigated disaster across the world.

In theory it was supposed to help correct the clear and obvious mistakes that come with refereeing a fast paced, end to end match.

Instead it has been used to re-litigate the most minute, tiny details with players being ruled offside by a toenail, armpit or kneecap.

It’s very rare to get the majority of football fans agreeing on anything however they are all on board with saying VAR in its current form does not work.

Perhaps the best thing VAR has brought us is the utter disdain for the system from players and broadcasters.

Rugby Union – Automatic Red Cards

Rugby has (smartly) set out to prioritise player safety in a violent sport however it has lead to an awful overcorrection and paranoia from referees about anything in the vicinity of the head.

Once again it was another change that was done with the right intentions but in practice it has not worked.

Look no further than the absolutely horrendous red card shown to Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete on the weekend for hitting a French player’s shoulder.

Thankfully they realised the overreaction and Koroibete was not suspended for that tackle.

Unfortunately for the players involved, the punishment is far too harsh for a mistake that can be so easily made.

AFL – Multiple AFLX “Innovations”

The Zooper Goal, Silver Ball, playing on a rectangular field… actually pretty much the whole concept was a gigantic disaster.

Let’s be honest, AFL House would probably prefer we all forget this experiment ever existed.

AFL – 18m Goal Square

For better or worse, Steve Hocking was always coming up with rule changes during his time with the AFL.

Extending the goal square to 18m was supposed to encourage ball movement around the ground and prevent flooding in defensive areas.

It was not overly popular when it was trialed in the VFL and players were more than happy to voice their displeasure with the suggestions.

Thankfully it never made its way to the big league.

NRL – Removing the Shoulder Charge

When done well, the shoulder charge tackle in the NRL was a thing of beauty.

Sonny Bill Williams made his name with these sorts of hits.

Naturally, with it being such a high-risk, potentially dangerous play, the NRL opted to remove it from the game entirely.

Surely there is a happy middle ground in there somewhere?

NFL – Super Stringent Celebrations

There was a point in time in the mid-2000s when the NFL decided to crack down on player celebrations.

Perhaps they were worried it would reach these sorts of levels from the movie BASEketball.

There was a time where all celebrations had to follow a ridiculously strict code and things like snow angels resulted in players getting fined.

The good news is that in 2017, Commissioner Roger Goodell decided to “let the boys play” a bit and relaxed those restrictions.

It brought out the more creative side of some players.

NFL – The Current Overtime System

For several years the NFL was able to get by with sudden death, a golden point overtime system where the first team to score won, regardless of if both teams had a chance to possess the ball.

But a public outcry in recent years that it was “unfair” that a game could be decided by a coin toss prompted a change by the NFL that didn’t change too much.

All that was altered was that the first team to get the ball could not win on a field goal on their first drive.

They could still win it with a touchdown on the first possession though.

At some point, you just have to go all in and make a call one way or another, either stick with sudden death or have a timed 10 or 15 minute period that you play out no matter what.

College Gridiron – Their Overtime System

While the NFL overtime system needs work, it is light years ahead of the video game gimmick that college gridiron uses.

It involves teams alternating possessions shootout style, starting 25 yards out from the goal line until the tie is broken.

Then if they are still tied heading into the fifth overtime, they trade plays from the two-yard line.

It’s actually somewhat surprising we haven’t had this brought into the Madden NFL video game series yet.

Hands down the worst overtime system in sport.

MLB – World Series Home Field Advantage Decided At The All Star Game

All-Star games are meant to be fun, lighthearted, and entertaining showcases.

In an effort to make the players take it a bit more seriously, home-field advantage in the World Series was to be decided in the MLB All-Star Game.

MLS – Ice Hockey Style Penalties

Introducing it was not a bad idea, going away from them was.

While most Australian fans have fond memories of 2005 and booking their place in the World Cup via the penalty spot, you have to admit there was something very amusing about this.

Surely there’s a place in the game to use these?

MMA – 12-6 Elbow

The 12-6 Elbow strike when was outlawed in Mixed Martial Arts in the interests of safety since apparently a downward strike with an elbow is a bit too violent even for those combat sports.

Jon Jones only loss in his professional career came via a DQ against Matt Hamill when he used this technique.

Plenty of UFC fans were not pleased with this change and argue the move should be allowed with Jones’ defeat being overturned.

Golf – No Broomstick Putters

You have to ask yourself who exactly was the ban on broomstick putters hurting?

Adam Scott was one of the most famous users of the long putter and since they took it out of the game, he just has not been the same golfer.

Admittedly the ban was not specifically on the club itself but instead on “anchoring the club against your body” something that is only possible with a long handled putter.