FIFA President Gianni Infantino believes it is necessary to send off players who cover their mouths during altercations with opponents.
“If a player covers his mouth and says something that has a racist undertone, he should obviously be sent off the field. It should be assumed that he said something he shouldn’t have said; otherwise, he wouldn’t have to cover his mouth,” said Infantino.
According to the FIFA president, such measures would be a sign of a serious commitment to combating racism in sports. He also noted that players who commit offenses should be given the opportunity to apologize.
“In a fit of anger, one can do something they later regret. In that case, the sanction should be different. We need to take a step forward and perhaps think about this as well,” added Infantino.
On February 17, during the first match between Real Madrid and Benfica (1:0) in the Champions League knockout round, Madrid winger Vinicius told the referee that Gianluca Prestiani called him a “monkey,” covering his mouth with his shirt. According to the Benfica player, he did not insult the Brazilian on racial grounds. UEFA suspended Prestiani from the return match, which took place on February 25 in Madrid (2:1 in favor of Real Madrid). The investigation is ongoing.
