According to Mundo Deportivo, the Paraguayan Football Association has filed a complaint with FIFA regarding England player Jude Bellingham's mouth-covering gesture directed at Ghanaian striker Jordan Ayew.
The Paraguayan Football Association protested to FIFA because Bellingham made a mouth-covering gesture while speaking to Ghanaian player Jordan Ayew. This action echoes a similar incident involving Paraguayan player Almirón against a Turkish player, which resulted in a red card under FIFA's newly introduced rule, dubbed the "Vinicius Law."
In Bellingham's case, neither referee Saeed Martínez nor VAR referee Armando Villarreal detected the incident, so the Real Madrid player went unpunished on the pitch. It remains to be seen how FIFA's disciplinary body will respond to the complaint, which was filed within the timeframe stipulated by FIFA World Cup regulations.
Article 9 of the FIFA World Cup Regulations addresses protests: "Unless otherwise provided in this article, protests must be submitted in writing to the FIFA Match Commissioner within two hours of the end of the match. They must also be submitted through the FIFA legal portal within 24 hours of the end of the match, otherwise they will be dismissed."
If Paraguay's complaint meets these requirements, FIFA's disciplinary body is obligated to investigate. The consequences will depend on the outcome. However, the regulations also state: "No protest may be lodged against decisions taken by the referee regarding facts connected with the match. Such decisions are final and not subject to appeal, unless otherwise stipulated in the FIFA Disciplinary Code."
The FIFA Disciplinary Code does provide an exception: "In cases of serious misconduct, disciplinary measures may be taken even if the referee and his assistants did not see the relevant situation and therefore had no opportunity to take any action."
Does Bellingham's gesture constitute serious misconduct? In April, FIFA introduced a new rule classifying a player covering their mouth while speaking to an opponent as grounds for a direct red card. This decision followed an incident between Benfica's Alejandro Bah and Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match.
If FIFA upholds Paraguay's complaint, the minimum penalty would be a one-match suspension, equivalent to Almirón's sanction. However, the penalty could be substantially harsher if the conduct is deemed discriminatory. The FIFA Disciplinary Code stipulates that racist misconduct carries a minimum ten-match suspension: "Any person who, through derogatory, discriminatory or insulting words or actions, violates the dignity or integrity of a country, individual or group on account of race, colour, ethnic origin, national origin, social origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, economic status, birthplace or any other status, shall be sanctioned with a suspension of at least ten matches or for a specific period, or any other appropriate disciplinary measure."
A player who admits wrongdoing may receive a reduced penalty: "Where discriminatory conduct is committed by a player or official who subsequently admits the infringement, up to half of the sanction may be converted into educational, communication and training measures, subject to the approval of the judicial body and FIFA."
For now, FIFA must first review and investigate the Paraguayan Football Association's complaint.
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