Football players who cover their mouths with one hand to hide discriminatory behavior will receive a red card at the World Cup. The international rules organization IFAB introduced this measure during a FIFA meeting in Vancouver. FIFA reports this.
The measure follows, among other things, the racism incident in February in the match between Benfica and Real Madrid in the Champions League. Footage showed Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni covering his mouth as he addressed Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior.
Prestianni and his club Benfica denied. But UEFA’s ethics and disciplinary committee concluded that the Argentine player was guilty of discrimination and suspended him for six matches, three of which were conditional.
A second new rule is that players who leave the field in protest against a decision by the referee also receive a red card. This also applies to trainers or other staff members who encourage players to do so.
That decision was made after an incident in the final of the African Cup of Nations at the beginning of this year. Senegalese national coach Pape Bouna Thiaw took his players off the field in injury time in protest against a penalty awarded to Morocco.
