Last week, England midfielder Jude Bellingham was not sent off despite covering his mouth while talking to Ghana’s Jordan Ayew.
Before the tournament, FIFA head of refereeing Pierluigi Collina explained that players were allowed to cover their mouths during “friendly conversations.”
According to him, the new law is designed for “confrontational” interaction.
The decision to introduce this new rule was made during a special meeting of the International Football Association’s (Ifab) legislative council in Vancouver in April.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has previously spoken out in favor of introducing such a penalty, saying referees should start with a “presumption” that players said “something they shouldn’t have said.”
The issue of players covering their mouths came into the spotlight in February when Benfica striker Gianluca Prestianni lifted his shirt while talking to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during a Champions League game.
The Argentina international was accused of racial abuse, which he denied, and suspended for one match. Following an investigation by UEFA, Prestianni was found guilty of homophobic behavior and suspended for six matches, three of which were suspended.
Any decision to send off a player is at the discretion of the referee, who will consider all the circumstances before issuing a red card.