Charting New Courses - The 18 Tectonic Shifts in Sports Rules and Their Groundbreaking Impact on the Game

Football: The Back-Pass Rule

The back-pass rule in football, introduced in 1992, prohibited goalkeepers from picking up direct back-passes from their teammates' feet. This rule change aimed to discourage time-wasting and promote more attacking play. The rule significantly increased the pace of the game and required goalkeepers to develop better footwork.