The Brazilian football federation (CBF) has instructed referees to issue yellow cards to players who stand on the ball, a decision prompted by a controversial incident involving Dutch forward Memphis Depay during the Paulista Championship final that ignited a brawl.
In the aftermath of Depay’s actions, which occurred three days earlier, two players received yellow cards for standing on the ball in a match between Bolivia and Brazil at the South American U17 Championship.
“Last week, (continental governing body) CONMEBOL recommended… the enforcement of a technical and disciplinary measure, resulting in an indirect free kick and a yellow card for this conduct,” the CBF stated in a press release on Sunday.
The CBF explained that they enacted this regulation in line with CONMEBOL’s suggestions, after Depay publicly criticised the federation in response to media coverage of the new protocol, claiming that he saw no fault in his actions.
“Let’s prioritise rules that enhance the sport and consider the business aspects of football—what benefits the clubs, the fans, and the players—rather than these trivial announcements,” Depay remarked on X on Sunday.
On March 27, Depay stood on the ball directly in front of opposing defenders as his team, Corinthians, was closing in on the Paulista title during a scoreless match against Palmeiras, having already secured a 1-0 win in the first leg.
This drew the attention of two defenders who approached him, leading to a scuffle among the players near the sidelines where Corinthians’ substitutes were warming up, causing a significant disruption to the match.
Ultimately, Corinthians clinched the title, with the game finishing without goals after an additional 16 minutes of stoppage time.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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