ATLANTA (AP) 鈥� Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron has been given a one-match suspension after he was the first player to be sent off at the for covering his mouth.
FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that Almiron will miss Paraguay’s final group game against Australia on Thursday. World soccer’s governing body said the decision was not subject to appeal.
Almiron made history when he was issued a during a confrontation with Turkey’s Mert Mulder late in the first half of Paraguay’s 1-0 win last Friday.
Under new rules, players are not allowed to cover their mouths to disguise what they are saying during confrontations, with infringements leading to an instant dismissal.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed for the legislation after a high-profile incident in a Champions League game between Real Madrid and Benfica last season.
Benfica鈥檚 Gianluca Prestianni tried to hide verbal insults toward Madrid鈥檚 Vin铆cius J煤nior.
UEFA later issued Prestianni a 鈥� three of which were deferred 鈥� for what it described as 鈥渄iscriminatory (i.e. homophobic) conduct.鈥�
Soccer鈥檚 rulemaking panel, the International Football Association Board, agreed in April that if they cover their mouths when verbally confronting another player.
The rule is not mandatory within but gives competition organizers like FIFA the option to use it.
On Tuesday, Infantino said he supported the new rule.
鈥淭his thing about covering the mouth is for us a very, very important rule,鈥� he told SNTV. “It鈥檚 about respect, it鈥檚 about the example that we should give.
鈥淚f you have nothing to hide, you don鈥檛 cover your mouth when you speak to somebody. The rules have been made very clear to everyone, everyone knows them, so this is an important element.鈥�
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