Ball boys and girls in the Premier League will reportedly no longer be allowed to throw balls to players.
Youngsters, sometimes come from club’s academies, have long been positioned pitch-side to return the ball when it has gone out of play.
However, new ruling has been introduced by the English top-flight that changes the way ball boys and girls will operate.
The Telegraph report that throwing the ball back to players is now prohibited and it must be collected from a cone instead.
Such a change comes amid concerns that home teams are given an unfair advantage as part of the ‘multi-ball’ system that is in place.
‘Ball assistants’, which is the term used by the Premier League, are also not allowed to even be next to cones.
As well as this, an extra four balls will be positioned on the touchline and ball assistants must place a ball on a cone when it is vacant.
The English top-flight hope that the new change will make players aware that they have to collect the ball themselves.
Ball boys have been caught up in drama on previous occasions, with Cristiano Ronaldo pranked by one when he was at Real Madrid.
He went to collect the ball pitch-side against Atletico Madrid but instead of the ball boy throwing it to him, he threw it on the ground so he couldn’t reach it.
A year prior, Chelsea legend Eden Hazard kicked out at Charlie Morgan when he held onto the ball during Swansea’s League Cup win over the Blues.
There have also been two notable occasions involving ball boys this season, most recently in Coventry City’s FA Cup win at Wolves.
Coventry boss Mark Robins celebrated their dramatic winner in front of a ball boy after he delayed his return of a ball in stoppage-time.
As well as this, Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno pushed a ball boy at Bournemouth after they were deemed to be taking too long to give the ball back.