Fifa to ban removal of shirts

Fifa may get shirty with Christian Vieri's celebrations

Football chiefs are set to clamp down on players who strip off their shirts to celebrate scoring a goal.

A Fifa sub-committee will re-instate the rule that the removal of shirts in celebration will be a mandatory cautionable offence.

The law was relaxed a couple of years ago but football's governing body is set to approve a proposal that the celebration must be punished by a yellow card.

Some critics might argue Fifa is taking away the joy of scoring a goal, but there are other considerations.

Football is televised worldwide and Muslim countries find it offensive to see bare chests.

The rule will also please sponsors who have been unhappy that their names are not always visible as the cameras follow a jersey-less goalscorer.

There is also the problem of putting the shirt back on again as Manchester United's Diego Forlan discovered against Southampton last season.

The Uruguayan was attempting to replace his shirt when play had re-started following his goal he had scored on one occasion last season.

The change will come in with immediate effect if passed at the meeting scheduled for next month.