03/01/26 07:49:00
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03/01 19:45 CST Infantino suggests players could be sent off for covering their
mouths in confrontation
Infantino suggests players could be sent off for covering their mouths in
confrontation
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) --- FIFA president Gianni Infantino has raised the prospect
of red cards being shown to players who cover their mouths when confronting
opponents.
The issue has been highlighted in recent weeks after Real Madrid player
Vinicius Junior said he was racially insulted by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni
during a Champions League match.
Prestianni, who denies the allegations, had approached Vinicius while covering
his mouth with his jersey during Madrid's 1-0 win in the first leg of the
playoff match. He was provisionally suspended for the second leg while an
investigation was being carried out.
The issue of players covering their mouths was discussed on Saturday at a
meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
Measures could come into force at this summer's World Cup.
"If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist
consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously," Infantino told Sky News.
"There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn't have said,
otherwise he wouldn't have had to cover his mouth.
"I simply do not understand - if you don't have something to hide, you don't
hide your mouth when you say something.
"That's it, as simple as that. And these are actions that we can take and we
have to take in order to be serious about our fight against racism."
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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