Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron was sent off in a friendly against Turkey for covering his mouth with his hand in protest to the referee. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Reuters.
The incident occurred in the second half of the match. Almiron received a second yellow card and was dismissed for covering his mouth with his hand to show disagreement with the referee's decision. This was a heavy blow for Paraguay, who were left a man down and had to continue the game with ten players.
Turkey took advantage of the numerical superiority and secured a victory. Almiron's actions were heavily criticized by fans and experts. Many described his behavior as unsportsmanlike.
The case caused a great stir in the football world. It was determined that Almiron's actions violated the rules, as football regulations prohibit showing dissent or insulting the referee. The player's move cost his team dearly.
Paraguay's head coach tried to justify Almiron after the match, saying he was carried away by emotions. However, the incident damaged the reputation of the Paraguayan national team.
FIFA is currently reviewing the incident and may impose additional sanctions on Almiron. His actions could prevent him from participating in future matches.