Conmebol decides not to use the Vini Jr. law in its competitions

The South American entity informed that, after the break for the World Cup, it will comply with the new IFAB rules. The Sul-Americana returns on July 21st, with the first playoff games, while the Libertadores round of 16 starts on August 11th.

The Vini Jr. law, however, will not be covered. Earlier, UEFA also chose not to use it in European competitions.

"Conmebol decided not to implement the optional provision provided for by the IFAB that includes the expulsion of players who cover their mouths when communicating with an opponent during a match," says Conmebol, in a statement published on its website.

The rule was created in April, in response to a case that occurred with Vini in the Champions League. In February this year, Real Madrid's Brazilian striker accused Benfica's Argentine Gianluca Prestianni of racism. The opposing player covered his mouth when speaking, which made it difficult to read lips and conclude what he had actually said. Therefore, IFAB -the body that regulates football rules- determined that any player who covers his mouth when provoking an opponent must be directly sent off.

Law was used in the World Cup twice. The new football rules came into force at the World Cup, and this is one of them. Its first use was in Paraguay 1 x 0 Türkiye, when Almirón spoke to a Turkish player covering his mouth and was sent off just before half-time. The second was in the knockout between Mexico x Ecuador, with the expulsion of Hincapié.

Rule does not apply to any speech with the mouth covered. In the game between England and Ghana, for example, Bellingham covered his mouth to speak to Jordan Ayew, but the move was not even checked by VAR, as it was not a provocation or discriminatory act.

FIFA President defended expulsion in cases of provocations. Still in March, before the formulation of the "Vini Jr. Law", Gianni Infantino said in an interview with Sky News that, if a player covers his mouth to commit discriminatory acts, he must be sent off. "If a player covers his mouth and says something racist, then he must, obviously, be sent off."

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