The football world awaits the verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding the contentious Sénégal-Maroc final. However, one aspect remains undeniable: the entire saga could have been managed more effectively to prevent such extreme outcomes, particularly the alteration of a match result via a technicality months after the final whistle.
To preempt similar prolonged disputes, FIFA has introduced several new directives during a recent congress in Vancouver. According to reports from The Times, the governing body has instructed referees to immediately issue a red card to any player who leaves the field of play to protest an official’s decision.
Identical sanctions will apply to any team staff member who encourages or incites players to engage in such conduct. Furthermore, if an entire team retreats to the locker room, as Sénégal did in the Africa Cup of Nations final, it will result in an automatic forfeiture of the match. This regulation is already in effect and was the basis for CAF’s decision to award the CAN final victory to Maroc by default.
Fifa’s response to the Vinicius incident
In a separate but equally significant development, FIFA has also implemented measures following another notable incident in recent weeks: the Vinicius-Prestianni affair. The Brazilian player accused the Benfica player of making racist remarks. Prestianni subsequently received a sanction for admitted homophobic insults.
FIFA’s direct response involves sanctioning players with a red card if they address an opponent while covering their mouth with their hand. This measure aims to facilitate lip-reading, thereby making it easier to detect potential racist or discriminatory comments that might otherwise go unnoticed by officials or opposing players.