Racism: Infantino Advocates Red Cards For Players Covering Mouths

In a bold move aimed at combating racism in football, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed that players who cover their mouths during on-pitch confrontations should be shown a red card, presuming they have uttered something inappropriate.

Infantino’s statement follows an incident involving Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, who alleged that he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during their Champions League playoff first leg, with Prestianni covering his mouth as the alleged abuse occurred.

In response to the accusation, UEFA has launched an investigation, resulting in Prestianni being suspended for the second leg of the matchup, with the possibility of facing a 10-match ban if found guilty by Europe’s football governing body.

“If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously,” Infantino remarked in an interview with Sky News. “There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said; otherwise, he wouldn’t need to cover his mouth.”

He acknowledged that there are instances that have not been anticipated, referencing the Prestianni case. “When dealing with disciplinary cases, one must analyse the situation and gather evidence, but we cannot simply accept the status quo moving forward.”

FIFA has announced plans to implement measures at the upcoming 2026 World Cup to prevent players from covering their mouths during confrontations, as discussed at Saturday’s meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB). Mark Bullingham, CEO of the English FA and an IFAB member, stated, “There are very few circumstances where a player should need to cover their mouth when confronting an opponent.”

These measures could be agreed upon and operational by this summer’s World Cup, with next month’s FIFA Congress in Vancouver set to be a crucial juncture.

Infantino also expressed a desire for accountability among offending players. “Perhaps we should consider not just punishment, but also encouraging individuals to apologise for their actions,” he suggested. “One can act out of anger and then express remorse, which should be reflected in the sanction imposed.”

He concluded by affirming that these are necessary actions to take in the ongoing fight against racism in football.