Bellingham avoids red card after new World Cup incident
During the match between England and Ghana, Jude Bellingham covered his mouth when talking to Jordan Ayew but did not receive a red card, while Miguel Almirón was sent off under the same new rule.
The moment Jude Bellingham covered his mouth during the goalless game between England and Ghana (0-0) generated a lot of discussion on Tuesday. This is because, at this World Cup, there is a new rule that can lead to players receiving a red card for covering their mouth during a verbal argument with an opponent. Despite this, the referee took no action against Bellingham, while Miguel Almirón had already been sent off in the previous round for the same infraction.
Almirón, a Paraguayan player, became the first to be punished under this new rule. In a heated situation between players from Paraguay and Turkey, he was sent off after covering his mouth while talking to an opponent. After VAR intervention, he received a red card and a one-game suspension.
But why did Bellingham escape punishment? According to FIFA, the rule does not only apply to the act of covering the mouth. Pierluigi Collina, head of refereeing, clarified that players can talk while covering their mouths, as long as the conversation is not hostile. If the discussion becomes confrontational, then punishment may be imposed. "If it's a friendly conversation, they can continue without problems. When the dialogue becomes aggressive, covering the mouth can indicate something wrong, and the sanction is a red card," explained Collina.
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, defended the measure, stating that the intention is to prevent players from making discriminatory or offensive comments without being seen on camera. So far, this new rule is only applied at the World Cup, and it is not yet clear whether national leagues will follow FIFA's example.
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