FIFA President Gianni Infantino Proposes Red Card for Players Who Cover Their Mouth While Speaking

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has made a forceful proposal to combat racism on the football pitch. Infantino has suggested that players who cover their mouths whilst speaking during confrontations with opponents should immediately be issued a red card.

The proposal emerged following the “Prestianni-Vinicius” incident in a Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid on 17 February. Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni was accused of directing racist abuse at Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr whilst covering his mouth with his jersey.

“If a player covers his mouth and says something with racist impact, then he must be sent off the pitch, of course. We must assume that he has said something he should not have said; if not, there would be no reason to cover his mouth,” Infantino told Sky Sports.

According to Infantino, if a player has nothing to hide, there is no reason to conceal his mouth whilst speaking. “This is an action we can and should take to address our fight against racism seriously,” he added.

UEFA has currently imposed a temporary suspension on Prestianni pending the outcome of a full investigation. During the match, which ended 1-0 to Madrid, play was halted for ten minutes after Vinicius reported being called a “monkey” by the Argentine player. However, Prestianni has denied the allegations and claimed Vinicius misinterpreted his words.

Infantino emphasised the importance of deterrence in this new regulation. “We must act firmly and in a manner that provides a deterrent effect. Perhaps we should consider not only punishment but also changing our culture and giving players and others the opportunity to apologise,” he explained.

The issue of prohibiting mouth-covering has been discussed at the International Football Association Board (IFAB) annual meeting in Wales this weekend. Although a final agreement has not yet been reached, further discussions will take place at FIFA’s Congress in Vancouver on 30 April.

FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafstrom expressed hope that these new measures could be agreed before the summer World Cup. “We want to continue the discussion and potentially produce measures before the World Cup,” he said.

Separately, the Chief Executive Officer of the English Football Association (FA) and IFAB board member Mark Bullingham believes wider consultation is necessary to prevent unintended consequences.

“We need to review everything and ensure that if we are going to introduce rule changes or penalties, we do not create new problems,” Bullingham said.