Why was Jude Bellingham not sent off for covering his mouth? Fifa's new rule explained

Why was Jude Bellingham not sent off for covering his mouth? Fifa's new rule explained

An image capturing England's Jude Bellingham with his hand over his mouth whilst speaking to Ghana's Jordan Ayew has sparked debate following the Three Lions' goalless World Cup encounter in Boston on Tuesday. The photograph raised immediate questions given Fifa's newly implemented regulation for this tournament, which permits officials to dismiss players who conceal their mouths during exchanges with opponents. Fifa president Gianni Infantino pushed for this rule change after Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni received a six-match suspension from Uefa for directing homophobic abuse at Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr in a Champions League fixture back in February. The regulation has already been enforced, with Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron becoming its first recipient when VAR recommended his dismissal during his side's match against Turkey at the weekend. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Bellingham appeared to commit the same offence, but the crucial distinction lies in the nature of the exchange between the two players. Fifa's head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, outlined the parameters clearly before the tournament began. He said: "Players can continue to cover their mouth with an arm and the shirt because they may chat with friends. "It's normal to a chat before, during or after the match. LATEST SPORTS NEWS England star appears to snub Thomas Partey handshake before Ghana World Cup clash Alan Shearer labels England's draw with Ghana 'a reality check' after poor World Cup performance Robert Snodgrass identifies Brazil weak link as Scotland plot World Cup upset "So if the conversation is a friendly conversation, they can continue to do it without any problem. "When the conversation is confrontational, covering the mouth means that you are doing something very wrong, potentially, and the sanction is the red card." Almiron's situation presented an entirely different set of circumstances. The incident occurred amid a confrontation that erupted after Paragu