[Saba Sports News] In Matchday 2 of World Cup Group D, Paraguay edged out Turkey 1-0. Notably, during first-half stoppage time, Paraguayan player Miguel Almirón covered his mouth amid an altercation. Following a VAR review, he was shown an immediate red card. Almirón is the first player at this World Cup to be sent off for covering his mouth. FIFA introduced a new rule beforehand, stating that any player who covers their mouth with a hand, arm or jersey while engaging in what referees deem non-friendly communication will receive a red card. This regulation was directly triggered by a controversial incident in February’s Champions League fixture between Real Madrid and Benfica. In that game, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of hurling racial abuse at him while hiding his mouth behind his jersey. Prestianni was subsequently handed a six-match suspension.
The editor believes that the new “mouth-covering ban” rule was introduced shortly afterwards. FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated: “If a player covers their mouth while speaking and there are racist implications, that player deserves to be sent off. We have to assume the player is saying something inappropriate — otherwise, why would they cover their mouth? If you have nothing to hide, there is no need to cover your mouth. The logic is that straightforward.”