BELFAST. Mar 2: World football's legislators rejected a bid to bring in television replays to help refe-

reps make crucial decisions in football matches, reports AFP.

The International Board (IB), football's law-making body, decided unanimously at their annual conference here on Saturday not to resort to the cameras.

But the board did agree to several rule changes, the most important being that goalkeepers will no longer be allowed to handle the ball directly from throw-ins.

Sepp Blatter. FIFA general secretary, said: 'We are anxious television doesn't take over the game by controlling the referee. Football is composed of human beings, human frailties, mistakes and errors. We have to live with that."

The board rejected a proposal by French TV that they experiment at future game with 20 cameras in the stadium with

decisions based on incidents filmed.

And the board also rejected suggestions that a second referee be Introduced.

We have not received any official application for this but we are unanimous that one referee will be in control, not two or three." said Blatter.

The board has decided to crack down on goalkeepers who hold on to the ball to waste time.

National associations will be warned that goalkeepers will only be permitted five or six seconds from receiving the ball until they have to play it again. FIFA also decided that the four-step rule for keepers will be strictly enforced.

Blatter said: "Videos from French and Spanish games revealed that goalkeepers had controlled the ball for an average of 12 or 20 seconds, thus slowing up play."

Rule changes included:

— An indirect free kick will be awarded if a goalkeeper handles the ball direct from a

throw-in.

— In future a player bleeding from a wound must leave the field for treatment.

— Thermal shorts must be the same colour as the strip.

— A goal can be scored direct from the kick-off.

— Players who don't retreat the required distance at the restart of play now face being cautioned.

— The ball is in play as soon as it moves forward from kickoff and not "as in the past when it had completed a full circumference.

Joao Havelange. FIFA president, revealed that nine countries had indicated interest in staging the 2006 World Cup — Germany, England. Russia. South Africa, Morocco. Egypt, Argentina. Brazil and Australia.

However. Havelange stated no applications would however be officially invited for the 2006 finals until after France '98 had been completed.