Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
On the eve of their must-win clash against the Socceroos, Paraguay are still trying to overcome the loss of their star Miguel Almiron, reportedly lodging a formal protest with FIFA.
Almiron became the first player to fall afoul of new rules, which were brought in to prevent racial vilification, preventing players from covering their mouths in a confrontational situation.
The midfielder copped a straight red during a heated passage of play against Turkey and will subsequently miss the match against the Socceroos on Friday.
Coach Gustavo Alfaro said the team had accepted the decision and moved on.
“From the moment Miguel’s incident happened, we decided not to get involved in that debate. We accepted it; luckily, he only received a one-match suspension, and that’s where our involvement ends. All I want is a level playing field,” he said.
“We don’t want to be part of any polemic situation. The only thing we said was that when the Miguel situation happened, I saw two Turkish players and they were not very polite to the players on the bench, so this is going to become gossip. We cannot do this.
“We cannot say they are treating us badly. This happened. We accept the rules.”
However, the coach’s claims seemed to be undermined by the actions of his football federation, with Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reporting the Paraguay FA had lodged an official complaint,
Their gripe stems from Jude Bellingham not being sanctioned for covering his mouth while talking to Jordan Ayew during their 0-0 draw with Ghana.
“The apparent inconsistency has not gone down well in Paraguay,” the outlet reported.
“The Paraguayan Football Association has filed an official protest with FIFA, arguing that the new regulation is not being enforced equally across all teams.”
However, unlike Almiron’s clash with Mert Muldur, Bellingham’s chat with Ayew was not confrontational a point clarified by officials.
“Players can continue to cover their mouth with an arm and the shirt because they may chat with friends,” FIFA referee’s boss Pierluigi Collina said before the World Cup.
“Bellingham and Ayew appeared to be sharing a relaxed conversation during the goalless draw with Ghana, and there was no apparent confrontation or aggression between the pair, meaning the incident did not meet the threshold for a red card,” reported The Athletic.
