Prohibits secret talks among football players on the field worldwide.

For many years, it has been a common sight for us to see football players secretly talking on the field, covering their mouths with their hands or shirts. They often do this to prevent their conversations from being lip-read by television cameras and to protect their privacy.

However, due to a new rule introduced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, this action could even lead to a red card in the future. He commented on this, saying, "If you have nothing to hide, you don't need to cover your mouth. If you have something good to say, you can say it openly, even in front of cameras."

This new rule is primarily introduced to curb insults, racial or homophobic abuse, and threats against opponents during confrontational situations between players. Accordingly, if a player covers their mouth while speaking during a heated exchange with an opposing player, the referee will have the authority to issue a red card, considering it an attempt to insult another player. However, covering one's mouth during a normal friendly conversation with teammates is still not an issue.

This strict decision is based on a controversial incident that recently occurred during a European Champions League tournament between Vinicius Jr. of Real Madrid and Gianluca Prestiani of Benfica. Prestiani covered his mouth with his shirt and made a statement towards Vinicius, who immediately complained to the referee, claiming it was a racial insult. The referee displayed the 'X' sign against racism, and the match had to be stopped for about 10 minutes.

A comprehensive investigation conducted after this incident revealed that although Prestiani had not made a racial insult, he had made a homophobic statement. After he admitted the offense himself, UEFA imposed a six-match ban on him. The fact that his statement was not directly recorded on camera during this incident and that the punishment had to be based solely on the player's own admission strongly convinced the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and FIFA of the necessity for such a new rule.

According to Law 12 of the Laws of the Game, using offensive or threatening language is already an offense punishable by a red card. This distinguishes between general swearing, personal insults, or racial, sexual, and threatening abuse. However, the main challenge in implementing the new rule is accurately confirming what a player has said. From now on, it will be decided at the discretion of the referee, based not only on clear evidence but also on observations from the referee, assistant referees, and VAR technology on the field, as well as the nature of the incident and the reaction of the other player.

Furthermore, to control such abusive behavior both on the field and in the stands, FIFA already implements a three-step protocol. Firstly, as soon as an insult is reported, the match is stopped, and an announcement is made in the stadium. Secondly, if the situation is not controlled, steps are taken to suspend the match for a certain period. If players are still unwilling to remain on the field after that, the final step is to abandon the match completely and initiate a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

Opinions among football fans are divided regarding this new rule. Some say that giving a red card for covering one's mouth while speaking is a somewhat extreme decision and that a yellow card would be sufficient. However, others point out that the severe penalties for racial or other insults in a normal workplace should equally apply to football players, and that FIFA's efforts to eradicate such actions from football are correct. 

(Source: BBC)