World Cup star Miguel Almiron becomes first to breach FIFA's new mouth-covering rule
A World Cup player has become the first to breach a new rule introduced by FIFA for this summer's soccer tournament.
Paraguay's Miguel Almiron was shown a red card for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent during his side's group game against Turkey.
The South America side scored just two minutes into the match in San Francisco, but were reduced to ten men following Almiron's red card shortly before half time.
The former Premier League football player covered his mouth with his hand as he spoke to Turkey's Mert Mulder.
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Mulder immediately informed an official standing next to him, with the referee being sent to the VAR monitor to review the incident.
As it was pretty clear Almiron had broke the FIFA rule, the Paraguayan was sent for an early bath.
The rule introduced by FIFA earlier this year and implemented for the first time in this World Cup means that players who cover their mouths in a 'confrontational situation' will be shown a red card.
“If it is a friendly conversation, they can continue to do it without any problem,” FIFA referee chief Pierluigi Collina explained in June.
“We respect that there are players who are friends and it is normal to chat before, during or after the match. When it is confrontational, it is a completely different story. Covering the mouth means you are doing something potentially very wrong.
“This is something you do on purpose. It is not something that a player can do instinctively.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously told Sky News: "There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn't have said, otherwise he wouldn't have had to cover his mouth.
"I simply do not understand if you don't have something to hide, you don´t hide your mouth when you say something. That's it, as simple as that."
The decision to introduce the rule was made by a special meeting of the International Football Association Board in Vancouver in April following an incident in a Champions League match back in February.
Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racist abuse as he raised his shirt to cover his mouth while speaking to Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr in the European clash.
Prestianni denied the allegations, with Benfica claiming there was a 'defamation campaign' against the player.
The Argentine was found guilty of homophobic conduct and banned for six matches.
There has been no suggestion with Almiron that anything wrong was said.
Almiron took to Instagram to thank his teammates after they beat Turkey, despite being the down to ten men for half of the match.
"I want to thank my teammates for their effort today, giving their all for every ball. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's an honor to be part of this team,” he wrote.
Callum Jones