Footballers who cover their mouths while speaking to opponents during confrontational moments will not be automatically shown red cards in competitions organised by UEFA.
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The European football governing body has decided not to adopt the new rule introduced by the International Football Association Board and currently being applied by FIFA at the World Cup.
UEFA, which oversees the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, European Championship and Nations League, has informed its member associations that match officials should instead apply discretion in such situations.
Under UEFA’s guidance, a player who attempts to conceal communication during a confrontation may be shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour, rather than being automatically sent off.
The body, however, said such on-field action would not prevent further disciplinary investigation or proceedings if the concealed communication is later found to involve racist, discriminatory or abusive language.
“This is obviously without prejudice to any disciplinary investigation or proceedings that may follow as a consequence of, or in connection with, such behaviour,” UEFA stated.
The rule change by IFAB followed a controversial incident in February involving Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during a UEFA Champions League match.
During the match, Vinicius Jr alleged that Prestianni racially abused him while covering his mouth with his shirt. Prestianni denied the allegation of racial abuse but was later sanctioned by UEFA with a six-game ban, three of which were suspended, for homophobic conduct.
Following that incident, IFAB amended the laws of the game in April to make covering the mouth while confronting an opponent a red-card offence in certain circumstances.
FIFA adopted the rule at the ongoing World Cup, where Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth while addressing an opponent.
Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie was also shown a straight red card for the same offence during a last-32 match against Mexico.
In both cases, the players received automatic one-match bans, although FIFA’s disciplinary committee retains the power to extend suspensions where necessary.
There was no indication that either Almiron or Hincapie made abusive remarks.
The new rule is not a blanket ban on players covering their mouths while speaking to opponents. Officials are required to consider the circumstances of the exchange and determine whether the communication was confrontational.
For instance, England midfielder Jude Bellingham was not sent off after covering his mouth while speaking to Ghana’s Jordan Ayew earlier in the tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino had earlier said a player must be sent off where mouth-covered speech results in racist abuse.
“If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously,” Infantino said.
FIFA referee chief Pierluigi Collina also explained that the offence depends on context.
“If it is a friendly conversation, they can continue to do it without any problem,” Collina said.
“When it is confrontational, it is a completely different story. Covering the mouth means you are doing something potentially very wrong. This is something you do on purpose. It is not something that a player can do instinctively.”
Although UEFA has declined to follow FIFA’s red-card approach, it has adopted another recent IFAB change by expanding the powers of the Video Assistant Referee.
Under the new VAR protocol, officials in UEFA competitions may now review incorrectly awarded corner kicks and overturn them into goal kicks where necessary.
At the World Cup, 22 corners had reportedly been overturned under the expanded VAR power as of Thursday.
UEFA’s position means players in European competitions will not face automatic dismissal merely for covering their mouths during confrontations, but they may still be cautioned and later disciplined if the concealed exchange is found to involve misconduct.
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