When Referee Made History by Issuing Football’s First-Ever White Card in Portugal
- Fans were surprised when a referee issued a white card during a match in the Portuguese Women's League in 2023
- The white card is different from the yellow and red cards and serves a totally opposite function to the disciplinary cards
- It is yet to be globally accepted, as the International Football Association Board has yet to adopt it into football rules
Football fans in Portugal had a shocking moment in 2023 when the referee issued a white card during a Women's match between SL Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.
Fans are accustomed to the use of disciplinary cards: yellow and red cards, the former which indicates a warning, while the latter means dismissal.
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Cards were first introduced at the 1970 FIFA World Cup to embed on-pitch discipline in the laws of the game and granted the referee the power to use it.
Referee issued white card in Portugal
According to Mundo Deportivo, football hit a historic moment in January 2023 during a women's match in Portugal between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon when the referee issued a white card.
Referee Catarina Campos issued a white card in the first half of the match, prompting widespread confusion among fans in the stands and on social media.
The incident happened close to halftime with Benfica ahead 3-0. A fan collapsed in the stands and the referee recognised the swift response of the medical team.
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Uses of white card
The white card serves a different and opposite purpose to the widely known red and yellow cards, which are to caution negative moments in the game.
The white card acknowledges positive moments of the game, rewards acts of fair play and sportsmanship, unlike the disciplinary cards which do otherwise.
It originated in Portugal and has yet to receive global acceptance, as the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has yet to include it in the laws of the game.
According to the Olympics, former UEFA President Michel Platini proposed the idea for a temporary suspension, but did not fly. Other changes, including concussion substitution and extended additional minutes, were proposed and adopted.
Football continues to evolve, and situations never seen before bring about rule changes in the sport to push the game towards perfection.
The 1970 World Cup in Mexico saw many changes to football rules, one of which was the introduction of yellow and red cards for disciplinary enforcement.
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It also brought about the introduction of substitutions after the heat at that time fatigued the players, with 11 players initially booked to complete the 90 minutes.
The 2022 edition saw extended additional minutes, with the referee accounting for every minute wasted and saw ridiculous additional minutes of up to 14 minutes between Argentina and the Netherlands.
FIFA approves 4 new rules
Legit.ng reported that FIFA approved 4 new rules ahead of the 2026 World Cup scheduled to be hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The rules are geared towards curbing time wastage at the tournament and empowering the VAR to review red cards from second yellow cards.
Source: Legit.ng
